The GBCHealth Business Action on Health Awards recognised the efforts of companies to address global health needs.

To be presented at GBCHealth’s 2012 Conference on 14th and 15th May at the Roosevelt Hotel, New York, the award celebrates the fantastic achievements made over the past 5 years by this integrated project which focuses on malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB project, and which is known within AMREF as ‘MAT’.

The program, based in the districts of Luwero and Kiboga in central Uganda, focuses on improving community-based prevention methods, constructing and equipping 10 clinical laboratories, and training health workers.

In Uganda, 50% of TB patients are infected with HIV and 30% of AIDS-related deaths are attributed to TB. It is widely acknowledged that HIV infections result in a greater risk of death from malaria and malaria infection itself leads to an increase in HIV viral load among adults and possible increased mother-to-child transmission of HIV during pregnancy.

Since the project’s inception, 6,618 local people have been trained and more than 1.5 million patient visits have occurred. In the districts covered by the project, malaria deaths in hospital declined by half between 2007 and 2011 and new TB cases dropped by 10%. New HIV diagnoses fell from 11% to 7%, with 69,730 tests now carried out per year, three times the annual figure at the start of the project.

AMREF is proud to partner AstraZeneca in this work and delighted to see the results acknowledged with this award.

Find out more about AMREF's project with AstraZeneca or read more about our work in Uganda.

The AMREF office in the UK focuses on increasing the impact of AMREF's work in Africa by:

- Generating funding and providing technical support to Africa

- Influencing policy and practice

- Raising awareness of African health issues in the UK and relevant global forums.

We currently employ 16 members of staff at our office in London, including:

Samara Hammond

 Chief Executive Officer

Samara is a clinician, a Nurse Practitioner and Public Health specialist with over 20 years experience as a manager in the public health sector. She has worked both in the UK and in Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Most recently she has been Associate Director of Quality Innovation and Clinical Governance at NHS Wandsworth, London.

Samara is well known to AMREF, having served as a UK Board member from 2003 to 2009, and regularly spent time in our programmes working clinically and providing public health evaluations.

  
Shivonne Graham

Director of Fundraising and Communications

Voted in the top 50 (No.17) most influential in Fundraising Magazine's 2011 Poll, Shivonne is proud to lead AMREF's Fundraising and Communications team in the UK.

Shivonne has previously held senior leadership roles at Shelter, Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres and Comic Relief and led the inaugural 'Have a Heart' Appeal on Heart radio. Shivonne and her team are obsessed with telling everyone they meet about AMREF's inspirational story and contribution to delivering Better Health for Africa.

Miranda Harrington

Head of Programmes 

Miranda leads the Programmes team in the UK and brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience from significant field based work across Africa, particularly Liberia and Sudan.

Her 4 years with the Department for International Development (DFID) have honed an impressive understanding of the funding landscape, while her time in Libera, managing a Primary and Secondary Health Care programme for Merlin, where she and her team were responsible for 14 Clinics and 1 major Hospital, mean Miranda is extremely well placed to understand the unique contribution that AMREF brings to Africa’s health care challenges.  
  

Kwalombota M. Kwalombota

Programmes Manager

Kwalombota is the Programmes Manager at AMREF UK.  A medical doctor trained in Zambia, Kwalombota worked in Zambia in both cities and rural districts. After completing a population and reproductive health MSc at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh,  Kwalombota was a Regional Advisor for the East and Southern Africa region at Marie Stopes International.

Immediately before joining AMREF, Kwalombota worked at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where he managed the International Health Links Centre.  
  

Event: Brighton Marathon

Date: 14th April 2013

The Brighton Marathon is now in its fourth year and has become one of the UK's most popular running events. It has recently been awarded official IAAF status and the route has been tweaked to make it faster and flatter.

Public entry for the 2013 race is now open. If you would like to join Team AMREF, we suggest you apply for a general entry place to maximise your chances.   

If you would like to run for Africa with AMREF, please download this application form and return it to Lucy on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org.

Support from AMREF

Everyone who runs the Brighton Marathon for AMREF will receive support from our dedicated fundraising team from the moment you register until the race itself. We will send you a fundraising pack to kick start your efforts, and provide you with an AMREF running vest for the big day. We will also be there to support you on the day from an AMREF cheering point.

Mara Yamauchi, Britain's second fastest female marathon runner and AMREF running ambassador will be providing training tips and support for all Team AMREF runners. The top fundraiser in each event will even win signed goodies from Mara! 

Training plans

Check out our 24 week training plans and get yourself in shape for race day.  Click below on the training plan you would like to follow.

Beginners

Intermediate runners

Advanced runners

For more information please e-mail Lucy Scanlon on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or call 0207 269 6865.

Event: Virgin London Marathon

Date: 21st April 2013

The London Marathon is one of the five World Marathon Majors, as well as being the biggest fundraising event in the country! If this Olympic year has inspired you to take part in the most exciting running event in the world, join Team AMREF now!

The online ballot for places is now closed. If you missed out, don't worry - AMREF has guaranteed places in the 2013 London Marathon!

To register your interest in running for AMREF, please fill in this application form and email it to Lucy on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org. For more information, please call Lucy on 0207 269 6865. 

Support from AMREF

Everyone who runs the Virgin London Marathon for AMREF will receive great support from our dedicated fundraising team from the moment you register until the race itself. We will send you a fundraising pack to kick start your efforts, and provide you with an AMREF running vest for the big day. We will also be there to support you on the day from an AMREF cheering point.

Mara Yamauchi, Team GB Olympic marathoner and AMREF running ambassador will be providing training tips and support for all Team AMREF runners, to help you make 2013 your marathon year.

Training plans

Check out our 24 week training plans and get yourself in shape for race day.  Click below on the training plan you would like to follow.

Beginners

Intermediate runners

Advanced runners

For more information please e-mail Lucy Scanlon on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or call 0207 269 6865.

Join Mara Yamauchi on Team AMREF! 

AMREF is very pleased to introduce Mara Yamauchi, our new Running Ambassador.  

“Jambo! I am delighted to accept the role of UK Running Ambassador for AMREF. After spending my childhood in Kenya, Africa is very close to my heart. So I am supporting AMREF because its work in improving health in Africa is so important.”

Mara is the second fastest female British marathon runner ever, and was named after the Mara river in Kenya, so she is the perfect person to promote and support AMREF’s running programme. 

Mara will be providing preparation tips for all Team AMREF runners and signed goodies will be up for grabs for the top fundraisers in each running event!

Listed below are the exciting events you can take part in in 2013

 London Marathon

Run the UK's most popular marathon. Experience the amazing support from thousands of spectators and see London as you've never seen it before.

Brighton Marathon

 Now in its fourth year, the Brighton marathon is a great alternative to London, along a course with panoramic coastal views.  

Bupa 10K

Run the 2012 Olympic route past many of London's top landmarks. This is an ideal event for any level of runner.

Running a race is a great personal achievement, but it is also a fantastic way to get involved with AMREF and help us to create lasting health change in Africa. Our dedicated fundraising team will support you every step of the way; we will provide you with training advice as well as fundraising tips.

For more information please get in touch with AMREF's events team by emailing l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or calling Lucy on 020 7269 6865.

Since 2000, the incidence of malaria globally has reduced by 17 per cent, and malaria mortality rates have fallen by 26 per cent. However, whilst this progress is clearly a step in the right direction, we are still far from reaching the internationally agreed target to reduce malaria mortality by 50 per cent by 2010.

Malaria still claims the life of one child every minute.

Because malaria is preventable and treatable, many more lives can be saved through a combination of proven and innovative malaria control interventions. As an organisation working side-by-side with communities, AMREF wants to see people with the knowledge, skills and means to tackle malaria, maintain their good health and break the cycle of poor health and poverty.

As the world celebrates the World Malaria Day 2012, AMREF highlights the impact of malaria on women’s health, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where mothers continue to die while giving birth. Most of these deaths could be prevented with better health care and medicine. In some parts of the continent, malaria contributes up to 30% of maternal mortality.

AMREF believes that no woman should die giving life, including from malaria.

In this belief, AMREF launched the Stand Up for African Mothers campaign in October 2011, an international initiative that aims to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 to contribute to the reduction of maternal deaths in Africa by 25 per cent. Among other things, these midwives will educate mothers in the use of Insecticide-Treated Nets, and administer intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy, as well as diagnose and treat malaria.

By drawing attention to the plight of African mothers and mobilising citizens worldwide to ensure that women get the basic medical care they need during pregnancy and childbirth, including prevention and treatment of malaria, AMREF hopes to reduce maternal mortality and make childbirth a matter of joy as the world marks World Malaria Day.

Join AMREF and Stand Up for African Mothers today!

“I was trained by AMREF in November 2011. The training helped me to understand symptoms of malaria, both severe and non-severe, and since then, I have been referring patients to health facilities for malaria treatment.

Since my training, I have referred several cases of that nature to health facilities, and also pregnant women. I feel proud that I am able to support the health of my community in this way.

For example, I now understand that a child who is convulsing is not bewitched, but rather it is a symptom of severe malaria.

Just recently I made referral of a pregnant woman who was brought to me with severe malaria; she was seriously ill and unconscious. Using AMREF’s vehicle, which was here for an activity, and money from our community referral fund, the woman was taken to a dispensary and then to the District Hospital, where she was treated.

She is now back home, healthy and waiting for her baby to be born. I am sure that without my referral, she would have died.”

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a research-based pharmaceutical company whose mission is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. GSK is the only pharmaceutical company to tackle the three 'priority' diseases identified by the World Health Organization: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Background to the partnership

AMREF's partnership with GSK is our oldest and one of our strongest partnerships, with a depth and breadth of work that both organisations are extremely proud of. This has included projects tackling malaria and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda as well as the hugely successful PHASE methodology developed between GSK and AMREF to improve hygiene and sanitation for thousands of schoolchildren and which is now being adopted into the school curriculum by African governments.

GSK's Chief Executive, Andrew Witty, has proved himself to be an extremely commited and loyal supporter of AMREF and has not only been to visit our work in Africa but has also run the London Marathon in support of all the work that we do. And running was on the agenda for all of GSK when they helped put on a fantastic 'Run for Africa' event for all their staff, friends and families raising £50,000.

GSK have also assigned some of their best staff through their PULSE Volunteer Partnership initiative, whereby employees are given the opportunity to use their professional skills to serve non profit organisations like AMREF so that we can benefit from their commercial experience and knowledge for as much as six months.

 AMREF and GSK - addressing the shortage of frontline health workers

GSK has announced its commitment to reinvest 20% of profits made in the Least Developed Countries back into projects that strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in those countries. AMREF is the partner organisation for this project in East and Southern Africa. The objective is to improve health outcomes by supporting frontline health workers who operate in these countries. 

AMREF will implement the project in the following countries: Eritrea, Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia, Burundi, Lesotho, Djibouti, Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.

“GSK is committed to playing its part in improving access to health care in all of the countries in which we operate. We are pleased to partner with three respected NGOs to deliver solutions that can make a difference on the ground in the world’s poorest countries.” Andrew Witty, CEO, GSK

PROJECT IN FOCUS: Community based malaria programme in Tandahimba, southern Tanzania

Malaria is a disease associated with poverty, and remains a major public health problem. In Tanzania, malaria accounts for over 30% of the national disease burden and is responsible for over a third of all deaths of children under five.

GSK is supporting AMREF to tackle this problem and our most recent collaborative project is focused on helping the rural and under-served communities of Tandahimba in southern Tanzania. Here, they not only face the real threat of dying from malaria, they also face inadequate and distant health services and an incomplete knowledge of the disease and how to prevent and treat it.

AMREF is working with the communities to help mobilise them in becoming the frontline in the fight against malaria, using drama, cultural groups, information materials and village health days to spread the message and dispel the cultural beliefs that prevent some people from seeking treatment. AMREF are also training community health workers to work alongside the government’s efforts to eliminate the disease. Over three years it is hoped the project will reach over 40,000 people, improving their knowledge, awareness and chances of survival from malaria.

More than one billion people around the world still have no safe drinking water and more than two billion don't have access to adequate sanitation facilities. People in communities without proper water and sanitation are vulnerable to many diseases and illnesses such as cholera and trachoma. AMREF has worked for decades to provide some of Africa's poorest and most isolated communities with adequate water and sanitation facilities and we rely on supporters like you to continue this vital work.

Setting up a regular donation to AMREF can change the lives of an entire community.

Regular gifts are so important to us because they mean we can plan for the future.  The steady stream of support we get from our regular donors means that we can plan strategically and offer funding to projects that will give poor communities sustainable solutions to the health and sanitation issues they face.

Set up a regular donation today and help AMREF provide essential support for good health and sanitation in poor African communities. Your donation will help AMREF save and transform lives across Africa.

To set up or change a gift by post please download the forms below  -

To change the amount of your current monthly gift click here

To set up a new direct debit by post click here

To change a non-monthly direct debit to a monthly one click here

To change a standing order to a direct debit gift click here

You can also make a one off gift on our donate page or to make your donation on the phone, just call the AMREF team on 020 7269 5529.

March 22 is World Water Day, established by the United Nations to promote water issues around the world.

At AMREF we use this day to raise awareness of the fact the huge number of Africans still living without access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and call on our supporters to continue to help us combat this.

We draw attention to something most of us take for granted, even though it is absolutely fundamental to our daily lives – safe water.

There are still nearly one billion people worldwide without access to clean water.

World Water Day - a chance to remember how much more needs to be done

The theme of the World Water Day 2012 is Water and Food Security. Access to food that is sufficient, nutritionally adequate and safe as well as water that is sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable are fundamental human rights that for many people remain a promise unfulfilled.

11 per cent of the world's population does not have safe water to drink and that this, coupled with poor sanitation, results in 4,000 children dying every day.

Globally, some estimated 2.6 billion people do not use improved sanitation facilities and around 925 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished.

Lack of safe drinking water and sanitation impact negatively on access to proper nutrition and food security. Open defecation, poor sanitation facilities and improper waste disposal contaminate food in many communities in Africa. At the same time, unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene frequently lead to increases in diarrhoeal diseases, rendering efforts to improve nutrition ineffective. 

Action urgent 

Unless urgent and concerted action is taken, the situation is likely to get worse in years ahead as populations increase and water sources get more scarce. To meet the dietary demands of a growing world population, projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, world food production would need to increase by 70 per cent.

That is why AMREF on this World Water Day joins the world in advocating for safe water and sanitation for all to ensure lasting health change in Africa. 

Reductions in diarrhoeal diseases can be achieved by providing improved sanitation and water supply, which in turn can prevent long-term illness and save at least 860,000 children from dying of malnutrition each year.

AMREF calls for the integration of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programming with child survival interventions to reduce the number of child deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases. We also advocate for initiatives to increase awareness of the importance of simple hand washing, an element of hygiene programming that can reduce the incidence of childhood diseases by approximately 45 per cent.

 Find out more about AMREF's Water projects or donate and help us continue to provide safe, adequate water supplies to some of Africa's most vulnerable and cut-off communities. 
 

Founded in 1957 as the Flying Doctors Society of East Africa, we believe that good health is a basic right. Over the past five decades, we've grown to become Africa's leading health organisation, working with communities to improve their health and future. 

We want to bring lasting health change to Africa by training health workers, improving access to medical care and educating communities about the prevention of disease.

Please set up a regular donation today and help AMREF save lives in some of Africa's poorest communities.

 “The operations make a big difference to the lives of my patients. Most of them have suffered for a long time, often since birth. It may be a cleft palate so that one is unable to talk, eat, or go to school. It may be a burn that has left them unable to walk or to hold things.”    Dr Asrat Mengiste, a surgical specialist in our Flying Doctors team.   

Sustainable Change 

Our main goal is to bring long lasting sustainable health change to the communities we serve. Women and children are often the most vulnerable to ill health in Africa. The health of women and children is a priority for AMREF because we believe in focusing our work on helping those most in need.

With your help, we can continue to bring better health to those who need it most.

Make a lasting impression and leave the gift of life!

By leaving a gift in your Will to AMREF you will make a life-changing difference to future generations of Africans living in some of the world's poorest countries.

Every year millions of Africans die from preventable and treatable diseases. AMREF works 365 days a year implementing life-saving health programmes that put Africa's health back in Africa's hands.

You could be a part of this vital work.

We understand that your family will always come first when you make decisions about your Will. But a donation to AMREF, no matter how big or small, will help us continue our life-changing health work and allow you to be a part of the sustainable health development in Africa that AMREF is spearheading.

It isn't complicated to leave a gift to AMREF in your Will and you will always have the right to withdraw or amend your pledge.

Unsure of the benefits of leaving a legacy? 

The UK government has introduced a tax incentive to those donating a proportion of their estate to charity. From 6th April 2012 if you leave 10% or more of your estate to charity you will qualify for a reduction in Inheritance Tax.

AMREF prides itself in providing excellent supporter care. We have written a Legacy Charter specifically for our legacy pledgers outlining your rights and our responsibilities.

AMREF is a member of the Remember a Charity consortium, an organisation that promotes legacy giving and its benefits. Visit their website to find out just how easy it is to give through a legacy pledge and discover the great impact that legacy donations can have . 

Want to talk it through?

No problem. Our supporter care team are happy to talk you through the process of leaving a legacy or just discuss the idea with you.

020 7269 5520
supportercare@amrefuk.org
AMREF UK
Cliffords Inn
Fetter Lane
LONDON
EC4A 1BZ

AMREF is bringing Africa to the beautiful Goodwood Estate on Sunday 17th June.

We want you to join us to celebrate your love for Africa, meet up with old friends, make new ones and have a grand day out with all the family!

During the morning, you can take part in the Hike for Health, a 20km sponsored walk around the estate. This is a great chance to get an intimate view of this magnificent estate and raise some money to support AMREF's life-saving work.

For an extra challenge, we want you to complete the hike carrying 6 litres of water in a backpack, to bring home the reality of the daily walk for water that thousands of African women face. 

Whilst the Hike for Health is taking place, there will be a shorter Trundle Trek for children, as well as African music, dance and craft activities to keep all the family entertained (including a chance to make that all-important Father's Day card!). Baxterbear, a special friend of AMREF who flew with the Flying Doctors in Kenya will be there and you might even get to see his plane!

After a spectacular picnic lunch, drummers and dancers from the award-winning Iroko Theatre Company will perform their interactive Jamboree - a thrilling end to a fun-filled day!

For more details about the Hike for Health, and how to sign up, please visit the event page

To set up your Hike for Health online fundraising page, please click on this button: 

A recent UN report has reiterated the vital role that rural women play in supporting and facilitating the daily activities of the rest of the community. AMREF continues to work within communities to improve women's access to adequate health and sanitation facilities, including maternal health.

Motherhood is the essence of womanhood. AMREF's Stand Up for African Mothers campaign aims to draw attention to the plight of African mothers and to mobilize citizens worldwide to ensure that mothers get the basic medical care they need during pregnancy and childbirth.Sub-Saharan Africa is now the epicentre of maternal mortality in the world.

·         200,000 mothers die every year due to a lack of simple medical care

·         1.5 million African children are left motherless each year

·         40% of African women do not receive prenatal care, and more than half of all deliveries take place at home without medical assistance

Once trained, a single midwife can provide care for 500 women every year, including safe delivery of 100 babies.

In Kenya alone, where 7,000 women die annually during pregnancy or child birth, AMREF will train five hundred traditional birth attendants by 2015.

Overall AMREF aims to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 and reduce maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa by 25% in this time.

This International Women's Day, support AMREF and help us bring health and happiness to women across Africa!

AMREF's Director General, Teguest Guerma, has released a statement calling for support for AMREF's Stand Up for African Mothers campaign and highlighting the importance of fighting maternal health. Read Dr Guerma's statement on International Women's Day here.

Read more about AMREF's work with women and support the Stand Up for African Mothers campaign.

"As the world marks the International Women’s Day 2012, AMREF would like to pay tribute to women all over the world, and in particular to African mothers. Over the years, women have made great progress in many fields, including business, academia, research, sports and political leadership. There are more girls in school and more women in salaried employment.

Despite women’s progress in the political, social and economic realms, there are still areas of grave concern that urgently need the world’s attention. Reproductive health, including gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and the high levels of maternal deaths in developing countries are issues that have been on the global agenda for decades, but in which there has been little progress. It is an indisputable fact that the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be met without improving the health and welfare of women.

Women and girls in poor and marginalised African communities find themselves further marginalised because of their gender, making them even more vulnerable to poverty and poor health.  For this reason, AMREF strives, in all its programmes, to ensure that all human beings – women, men, girls and boys – are treated equally in terms of dignity and rights. 

AMREF’s Business Plan 2011-2014 is focused on transforming the health of communities by improving the health of women and children. In all our programmes, AMREF is paying special attention to women’s health. Our water and sanitation programmes ensure that women do not spend long hours every day searching for water. Instead, they are able to use the time to take care of their families, and to engage in projects that boost the family’s income. 

With improved sanitation, girls do not have to miss school during their monthly periods, improving their school attendance and performance, as is the case in Mkuranga, Tanzania, and Juba, South Sudan. Our HIV and TB programmes aim not only to prevent and treat the diseases, but also to empower women and give them life skills to enhance their lives. Take for instance our work in Kawempe, Uganda, where AMREF equips commercial sex workers with information and skills to stay healthy if they choose to remain in the trade, and alternative means of earning a livelihood if they choose to change.

Of particular concern to AMREF is the high rate of maternal death in Africa, where 200,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth every year, leaving behind 1.5 million orphans and leading to loss of immense productivity potential.  Most of these deaths are caused by preventable causes like HIV/AIDS, bleeding, high-blood pressure, unsafe abortion, obstructed labour, and anaemia as a result of malaria or poor nutrition. Many die because they do not know the importance of seeking professional health care during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.  

To raise awareness about the plight of the voiceless mothers who are at risk of dying every year, AMREF has launched Stand Up for African Mothers, an international campaign that aims to train 15,000 midwives by 2015 to contribute to the reduction of maternal deaths in Africa by 25 per cent. Midwives save lives.  They educate mothers, look after them in pregnancy, assist them during delivery and follow up to make sure that baby and mother are fine. One midwife can look after 500 mothers every year, and safely deliver 100 babies.

As part of this campaign, AMREF is also supporting the nomination of Esther Madudu, a midwife from Uganda, for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. This is a highly symbolic nomination because through Esther, we want to honour all African midwives for the important role they play in saving the lives of mothers and their children. As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2012, AMREF encourages everyone to honour this special group of health workers by logging on to www.standupforafricanmothers.com and signing the petition for Esther’s nomination for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. AMREF would also like to take this opportunity to encourage all Africans to contribute whatever they can to save mothers’ lives.

Let us all Stand Up for African Mothers.

Dr Teguest Guerma
Director General, AMREF"

Find out more about AMREF's work with women and support the Stand Up For African Mothers campaign.

I am aged 27 years and married with one child. I come from Eastern Equatoria State, Torit County in South Sudan. Torit County has an approximate population of 260,000 people with poor infrastructure, social and health delivery services. 

As a young woman, I feel challenged with the high maternal mortality rate in Eastern Equatoria and as whole Southern Sudan. On realization of the huge contribution I could make to change this situation, I decided to enrol for the Diploma in Clinical and Public Health.  The skills and knowledge I obtain will help create confidence in the women of South Sudan and motivate them to seek medical assistance in health facilities. 

In my culture, it is seen as a taboo for women to be physically examined by a male who is not the husband of the women being examined.  Because of this, women tend to refrain from seeking medical assistance in health facilities (especially the antenatal clinics) and turn to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) for help. This is because most of the health practitioners in the health facilities are men. 

The knowledge I acquired in clinical medicine and public health has helped me to develop in many ways, and I have learnt about the prevention diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Currently, I am working at Nimule Hospital, for my internship practice where I am able to translate the knowledge gained in the class into practice through hands-on experience. My patients have become impressed with my work and have developed more trust in me. This has given me courage and pride to be a clinical officer.

I wish more young women could be trained as clinical officers to help treat the women's health issues like HIV/AIDS, antenatal care, breast and cervical cancer awareness, child health and nutrition in my country.

Find out more about training clinical officers in South Sudan

Clinical officers play a key role in the health services of many African countries. They can perform 60-80% of doctors’ tasks but can be trained in half the time at one fifth of the cost.

Clinical officers are a mid-level cadre of health professional, whose role falls between a doctor and a nurse. They provide preventative and curative services to rural populations in health centres and hospitals.

In South Sudan, there are less than 100 doctors to serve a population of approximately 10 million. However, AMREF has trained nearly 300 clinical officers, who currently account for for over 70% of clinical officers in the whole country.

AMREF opened Sudan’s Maridi National Health Training Institute at the height of the civil war in 1998; the first group of students graduated in 2001. To date, a total of 268 clinical officers have graduated from the institute.

The three-year course in public health care, nursing care and surgical procedure covers anatomy, orthapedics, and pathology to pharmacology, psychology and psychiatry. It produces skilled and well-rounded medical professionals, able to diagnose and treat illness, perform surgery and educate communities.

As a result of the war, many of the students have been unable to complete secondary school. Consequently, the course now incorporates foundation courses in maths, English and biology.

Most of the students come from some of the remotest areas of Southern Sudan and are especially keen to put their new skills to use back in their communities. According to a recent survey, 99% of graduates from the Maridi National Health Training Institute have remained working in South Sudan. A major factor in this high level of retention was reported to be recognition from the communities and the opportunity to work in hospitals, which were previously the preserve of doctors.

Grace Konga is training to be a clinical officer at the Maridi National Health Training Institute. She says "I wish more young women could be trained as clinical officers to help curb the women health issues like HIV/AIDS, ante-natal care, child health and nutrition in Southern Sudan." Read Grace's story 

An African woman is 600 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than a European woman. 

In fact, Africa has the world’s highest ratio of women – 1 in 22 – who die in pregnancy or childbirth.

The major direct causes of maternal death and illness include haemorrhages, infection, high blood pressure and obstructed labour.

Yet many of these deaths could be prevented, if only they had access to proper medical care.

However, health services are often inaccessible and women can’t afford them. Many women in developing countries receive no antenatal care during pregnancy, half give birth without any medical support and 70% receive no post-natal care.

Maternal death or disability is not just a personal, family or community tragedy. Poor maternal health is serious threat to Africa’s economic development. If there are no interventions to reduce the current rate of maternal deaths and disabilities in Africa, over the next ten years, $45 billion worth of productivity will be lost.

 AMREF is changing this - leading the way to giving direct help to mothers and their children.

AMREF has trained half a million community health workers and midwives, who literally provide a life-line to remote and poor communities. AMREF is also working directly with communities to improve maternal health. This includes:

• improving access to health services including family planning, safe obstetric care and midwives
• preventing and treating malaria in pregnancy
• training midwives and health workers across Africa to ensure more women give birth safely
• raising awareness of personal and food hygiene, basic sanitation and improved access to clean water as essentials for good maternal health.
  
• protecting women’s reproductive rights, including promoting women’s rights to  make informed choices about family planning and childbirth, and protection against gender-based violence.
  

 With your help, we can do more.

We can train more health workers and midwives to provide good quality care to pregnant woman and mothers, we can improve access to basic helath services to ensure that safer motherhood for African women is a reality. Support AMREF in improving the lives of mothers across Africa.

Women are more vulnerable to ill health in Africa. Low income and social status, lack of education and traditional gender roles and responsibilities are key contributing factors.

For example, three quarters of the population living with HIV in Africa between the ages of 15-24 are women.

Women are more vulnerable to HIV because of biological reasons, but the key factors behind this disparity are social and economic. Financial circumstances can force women into selling themselves for sex and too many of those who are in relationships or married are often not in a position to demand faithfulness or safe sex.

Maternal death rates in Africa are particularly high because of the lack of skilled midwives, obstructed labour, unsafe abortions, anaemia and malaria. 1 in 22 women dies as a result of pregnancy or childbirth compared to just 1 in 8,000 in industrialised countries.

Pregnant women in Africa are particularly vulnerable to malaria. Their immunity is low, and they often do not have the knowledge or the means to be able to prevent it.

Obstructed labour is a particular problem for young women giving birth whose bodies are not sufficiently developed. Some African countries have the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world.

Violence against women is also a key concern in Africa, especially in South Africa, which has the highest incidence of violence against women in the world among countries not at war.

Projects and stories

• Jijenge reproductive rights project, Tanzania
• Kawempe commercial sex workers, Uganda
• Training midwives, Southern Sudan
• Violence against women, South Africa

Training Midwives

One in 22 women die in pregnancy or childbirth in Africa. Midwives are vital in the effort to improve this shocking statistic. 

Women die needlessly of conditions that would be easily treatable if trained staff were available. Women often travel for miles to reach a trained midwife, by foot or on the back of a bicycle, only to die or to lose their child on the way.

The solution

AMREF provides intensive training courses which are both practical and classroom-based. The trainees learn to manage common complications during delivery, such as high blood pressure, excessive bleeding, or retained placenta, as well as giving the mothers antenatal and postnatal advice. They are also trained to recognise signs of more severe complications and are able to refer women on to better equipped facilities. Under close supervision, trainees are also trained to deliver babies in order to prepare them for work back in their communities. AMREF also provides innovative e-learning courses to midwives, which are predominantly computer-based rather than classroom courses.

You can find the answers to some frequently asked questions about leaving a legacy below. If you would like any more information please contact our team who are always happy to talk through legacy gifts.

How can I make a legacy gift to AMREF?
How will AMREF use my gift?
I already have a Will - do I need a new one drawn up?
Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax?
I’ve left a gift to AMREF in my will; do I need to let you know?
What happens if I change my mind?
What types of gifts in wills are there?
What information do I need to include in my gift?
What should I do if I am an executor?
Other Questions

How can I make a legacy gift to AMREF?

It's really easy to add a legacy gift to AMREF to your Will. Contact our Supporter Care team at supportercare@amrefuk.org or on 020 7269 5520 who can talk you through the process and help you decide whether a legacy donation is for you.

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How will AMREF use my gift?

Unfortunately it is not possible for AMREF to allocate funds totaling less than £5,000 to a specific project. You can always trust AMREF to use your gift where it is most needed, but what this need is may change over the years. Please remember that if there are binding conditions attached to a legacy which we cannot satisfy, AMREF may not be able to benefit from the legacy.

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I already have a Will - do I need a new one drawn up?

No, you can make an amendment to your existing Will by filling in a Codicil Form.  

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Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax?

Any gift you leave to AMREF UK is tax free. Legacies are deducted before inheritance tax is applied, so many people use gifts to charities to stay within the inheritance tax threshold. We recommend you consult a solicitor for full details of tax benefits.

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I’ve left a gift to AMREF in my will; do I need to let you know?

It is helpful for us if we can keep track of the donors who wish to support us with a legacy gift. If you intend to leave a gift to AMREF in your Will, or you have done so already, we would encourage you to let us know by contacting our Supporter Care Manager, Joanna Dalgarno on 020 7269 5520 or by email at j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org.

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What happens if I change my mind?

We understand that circumstances change and naturally you are absolutely free to withdraw or amend your gift to AMREF at any point. We would ask that you let us know should that be the case by contacting our Supporter Care Manager on 020 7269 6862 or supportercare@amrefuk.org.

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What types of gifts in wills are there?

There are a few kinds of gift that you can leave in your Will:
o Pecuniary bequest i.e. a fixed sum
o Residuary bequest i.e. the residue of your estate after all other bequests have been made and any debts cleared
o Specific bequest i.e. an item of value (jewellery, art work etc)

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What sort of information do I need to include ?

The main thing is to include our full name—
AMREF UK African Medical and Research Foundation
And our registered office address and registered charity number, as below:
AMREF UK
Clifford’s Inn, Fetter Lane,
LONDON
EC4A 1BZ
Registered Charity Number: 261488

For information on wording your Will, please read our Legacy Worksheet.

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What should I do if I am an executor?

If you are acting as executor for the Will or estate of someone who has left a legacy gift to AMREF, please contact our Supporter Care team on 020 7269 6862 or supportercare@amrefuk.org who may be able to advise you.

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Other Questions

If you have any other questions regarding legacy gifts please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team who will be happy to talk through legacies with you.

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Dr Alemayehu, 46, was killed by unknown gunmen on the evening of Saturday, January 14 at the gate of his house on the outskirts of the capital city, Juba.

The killers made off with his car and other personal belongings. The government of South Sudan immediately launched investigations into the incident and one man has been arrested.

 “This is a very sad moment for the entire AMREF family and we stand in solidarity with Alemayehu's family and AMREF South Sudan staff during this very difficult time,” said AMREF’s Director General, Dr Teguest Guerma.

Dr Seifu was appointed AMREF Country Director in South Sudan in January 2011, after serving as Deputy Country Director in Ethiopia, a position he held since September 2007. Prior to joining AMREF, Dr Seifu worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) as regional surveillance coordinator in the Ethiopia Country Office, as well as with CARE International and Amhara Regional Health Bureau, Ethiopia.

Dr Seifu’s body was flown to Ethiopia on Sunday evening for burial on Monday at his home near Addis Ababa.

AMREF UK
Clifford's Inn
Fetter Lane
London
EC4A 1BZ

Tel: 00 44 (0)207 269 5520
Email: info@amrefuk.org

For directions on how to get to AMREF click here

For press-related enquiries, please contact:

Christine Kaleeba, Communications and Database Assistant

 Tel: 00 44 (0)207 72695520

Email: c.kaleeba@amrefuk.org

Membership

Nairobi Office
The Flying Doctors Society of Africa
P.O. Box 30125,00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya
Tel (254 20) 602495/6994409-13 Fax (254 20) 601594
Email: flyingdocs@amrefke.org
AMREF Dar es Salaam Office
Yanan Meena
P.O Box 2771, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel 007-222-116610/36731
Fax 007-222-115823
Email: yananm@amreftz.org
Arusha Office
Dolygene Anyona
Flying Doctors Society of Africa - Arusha Branch,
P.O Box 15506, Meru Post Office.
Location: Sinka Court Hotel, Swahili Street, Arusha
Telefax: +255 27 2544407
Mobile: +255 748 240 500
E-mail: flyingdocs@habari.co.tz