African harmonies and rhythms welcomed international speakers and delegates to the UHSM Academy’s first global health conference on June 11, 2010.

The event, organised by the Centre for Global Health, Emergency Medicine and Humanitarian Assistance (C-GHEMHA) based at the Academy, attracted  expert speakers with an international reputation with its theme of the power of global links to transform communities.

Manchester-based African musicians playing the djembe drums and the African harp greeted the arrivals at the conference, which featured visitors from Gulu in Northern Uganda with which UHSM has a well-established link.

UN Special Representative David Nabarro gave a video presentation revealing his family links with Gulu – his grandfather studied Tsetse fly there in the early 1900s. Professor Naomi Chambers, who is President of the European Health Management Association and Head of Health Policy and Management at Manchester Business School, gave a presentation about what works in global health, based on a 10-country study with KPMG.

Other speakers included Dr Simon Mardel, a Senior Lecturer in Global Health at the Centre for Global Health Development and Research, who challenged the model of giving aid from his experience in Uganda and Afghanistan. Nurses Karen Livingstone and Debbie Hawker, and Doctor Sally Jewsbury -who have all spent time at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda - also talked about their grass roots experience.

Wythenshawe MP Paul Goggins put the Wythenshawe Hospital into its local and global community context and UHSM Chair Felicity Goodey put the UHSM’s international work into a historical perspective.

The Academy's weekly 'Grand Round' educational talk was given by Professor Emmanuel Moro, Associate dean for Medical Education and Dr Felix Kaducu, deputy dean/Associate Dean of Research at Gulu Faculty of Medicine.