About The Project

The Mbeya London project is trying to deliver easy to access, robust, updated teaching on common obstetric problems. This inaugural course is focused on Massive Obstetric. Haemorrhage (bleeding). 

 

In September 2019, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital (MZRH) conducted an analysis for the maternal mortality rate identifying perioperative obstetric haemorrhage as one of the leading cause of deaths. In response, a team from Mbeya, under the direction of Dr Bernard Mbwele, the Principle Tanzanian  Investigator, reached out to obstetricians at University College London Hospital Principle Investigator, Dr Sara Hillman, to explore the possibility of collaborating together on a project to address this issue. 

 

The Mbeya London project began in 2019 through funding from THET. Its overarching aim is to deliver a high quality blended, interactive remote and face-to-face free training program for health workers in 4 hospitals in Mbeya, South West Tanzania. In collaboration with Co-Principal Investigator Dr Delfina Mkenda, data maanger Dr Amani Twaha and proejct training co-ordinator Catherine Qaresy, the project was able to be realised. 

 

This course will begin in August 2021 and is comprised of 4 online modules that will cover the key elements of obstetric bleeding management: risk identification & assessment, medical and surgical treatments, anaesthetic considerations and use of ultrasound. The course is flexible changing in its delivery in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic. The hope is to deliver teaching in a way that all can access no matter where they are.    

 

A variety of sessions will be live with UK experts and practical aspects of haemorrhage treatment will be covered.  We will be assessing knowledge gained and provide evidence of attendance and competency on completion of this course.  


Modules

Instructors

Instructor

Sara hillman

I am an Associate Professor in Obstetrics at University College Hospital and sub-specialty trained in Maternal and Fetal Medicine. During my PhD I began working on international maternity projects in India and Nepal. Currently I hold a Medical Research Council award to investigate anaemia in pregnancy in India and Nepal. I have an extensive interest in teaching and host both undergraduate and graduate teaching programs within UCL. I co-lead on the iBSc. In Women’ Health and am lead for the Organogenesis module of our MSc. I supervise MSc. and PhD students and have been involved with developing training courses for several years.

Instructor

Mandeep Kaler

I thoroughly enjoy managing pregnant women with complex medical problems and those at risk of developing pregnancy related complications. On receiving my PhD titled ‘An investigation into the Aetiology of Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy’ I have developed a growing interest in academia and can see a future career involving research in obstetrics. I have a passion for medical education and am currently working as the clinical education fellow at The Royal London Hospital in London. This fellowship involves teaching using various techniques including virtual platforms and simulation. By the end of the fellowship I will have also completed the PG Cert with Queen Mary University London. I am also a qualified Advanced Life Support instructor and Human factors trainer, which has given me the opportunity to take part in more formal teaching.

Instructor

Brian Dromey

I am a Clinical Research Fellow working jointly at UCL’s Institute for Women’s Health and the Surgical Robot Vision Group, as part of the GIFT-Surg (Guided Instrumentation for Fetal Therapy and Surgery) project. GIFT-Surg is a collaborative research project between UCL, Kings College London, and KU Leuven. Our objective is to transform fetal surgery from open to minimally invasive procedures, reducing maternal risk, and improving fetal outcomes. I was awarded a combined Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Leeds, England, in June 2012. Additionally, in September 2010 I attained an intercalated B.Sc in Medical Imaging from the University of Leeds. I completed my Foundation Training in Yorkshire. In August 2014 I commenced specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the West Yorkshire region. My clinical posts have been in large, busy maternity units with high-risk populations including Bradford Royal Infirmary, Leeds General Infirmary, St James’ University Hospital, and The Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. I was admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in July 2018. My primary research interests are in materno-fetal medicine, minimally invasive procedures, and skills assessment, training and analysis.

Instructor(s)

Senior Instructor

Soha Sobry

Soha is an obstetrician and gynaecologist and academic clinical lecturer at Queen Mary University, London. She has a passion for global maternal health, especially reducing maternal mortality and morbidity and safe surgery. She has spent time in several LMIC settings, volunteering in Malawi, working with refugees in Greece and teaching emergency obstetric skills in India, Uganda and Borneo. Her research has mainly focused on the safety of obstetric surgical procedure in LMIC’s and has published in this area. She is a regular invited facilitator at the Surgical skills in austere environments course run by the RCOG and she is also on the trainees global health committee at the RCOG.

Senior Adviser

Helen Halpern

Dr Helen Halpern is an Associate Dean with a background in General Practice and GP training. She has the Institute of Leadership Management Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring. Helen has worked for a number of years in faculty development and in supporting postgraduate doctors in training who find themselves in difficulty. Helen has a particular interest in the communication skills. She has visited Tanzania several times and continues to work on a community health project for young women with a Tanzanian NGO. She also set up peer coaching for healthcare professionals between Tanzania and the UK.

Senior Instructor

Sylvia Berney

Dr Sylvia Berney has been a Consultant Haematologist working in London for 30 years. She has a wide experience in haematology including sickle cell anaemia and blood transfusion. She was Director of Medical Education at a large district hospital with responsibility for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Sylvia has visited Tanzania several times where she has met and shared ideas with healthcare professionals in Dar es Salaam and in Mbeya region. In 2019 Sylvia set up a project for haematology trainees to visit the haematology department at Muhimbili to share ideas and learning between Tanzania and the UK.

Our Sponsors