UK Government funding cancelled
We were all devastated to learn that government funding for the next round of the fantastic and long running Health Partnership Scheme has been cancelled. Our friends at THET had no warning that the cuts would be made and are still reeling from the shock. In previous years the HPS funded all our major volunteer programmes in Kambia, and in recent months we were working on a new application for a three-year programme to expand our mentoring scheme for MCHAs across the whole district, which we have been developing over the last few years, as well as a dedicated paediatric mentorship programme at the Kambia hospital.
As THET have said in their email to us “The cancellation of this programme is made more painful by the fact that Health Partnerships have excelled over the past year in responding to the challenges of COVID-19 and, more recently, the coup in Myanmar. Throughout this past year, the ties of professional friendship, trust and collegiality have been a shining example of the “global solidarity” that Dr Tedros called for last April.”
Here’s a clip from Channel 4 news explaining the cuts:
https://www.channel4.com/news/explained-the-impact-of-uk-foreign-aid-cuts
We will continue to support our MCHA scheme and try to raise funds from other sources to launch a Paediatric monitoring scheme, so any donations, no matter how small, are vital at this time. Donations can be made online via our website or cheques can be sent in the post to our treasurer at: 62 Oxmoor, Abbeydale, Gloucester GL4 5XY