Capacity building for child health: Canadian paediatricians in Uganda

BACKGROUNDFor six years, Canadian paediatricians have worked in partnership with their Ugandan colleagues to promote improved child health in southwestern Uganda.OBJECTIVESTo describe a collaboration between the Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Canadian partners that aims to build local capacity in child health through support of training at university, community and health centre levels.METHODSThree low-cost initiatives are now implemented. At the university level, volunteer Canadian paediatricians support Ugandan faculty colleagues through teaching health care trainees at a busy tertiary referral and teaching hospital. In the community, the Healthy Child Project helps Ugandans train local health volunteers who educate mothers and caregivers about child health. At health centres in the Mbarara and Bushenyi Districts, Canadians support a locally initiated outreach program that provides paediatric consultation and continuing medical education for staff at rural health posts.RESULTSUgandans and Canadians have benefited from this collaboration. Hundreds of Ugandan undergraduate and graduate health care trainees, more than 100 community volunteers and numerous local health practitioners have received child health training through one of these three Canadian-supported paediatric initiatives. More than 25 Canadian paediatricians have benefited greatly from their overseas teaching and clinical experience.CONCLUSIONSThe strength of this collaboration is a shared interest in improving child health in southwestern Uganda. A strong Ugandan-Canadian partnership has built significant child health capacity with great benefit to both partners. These initiatives may serve as a model for other child health providers wishing to support capacity-building initiatives in less developed countries to improve global health.