Academy
Transfusion Camp – Uganda: A success story of the global expansion of transfusion medicine training for postgraduate medical trainees
Aggrey Dhabangi
Makerere University College of health sciences, Kampala, Uganda
Erasmus Okello
Makerere University College of health sciences, Kampala, Uganda
Clement Okello
Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Christine Sekaggya-Wiltshire
Makerere University College of health sciences Kampala, Uganda
Grace Kansiime
Mbarara University for Science and Technology, Uganda.
Background: Transfusion education and training remain limited in sub-Saharan Africa due to gaps in medical school curricula and scarce opportunities for continuing medical education [1,2]. This article describes the successful adaptation of the Canadian Transfusion Camp model to address these gaps. Established in 2012, the Canadian Transfusion Camp has engaged nearly 100 faculty members to deliver high-quality transfusion medicine (TM) training to over 3000 Canadian medical residents. It is now recognized as an effective and scalable TM education model [3]. Since 2022, the Canadian Transfusion Camp curriculum has been adapted for East Africa through a collaboration between Canadian and Rwandan experts, with education events delivered in 2022, 2023 and 2024 [4]. With funding support from the ISBT academy, the program has now expanded to Uganda with the objective of establishing an independent Transfusion Camp program led by local faculty.
Methods: In September 2025, Transfusion Camp-Uganda was held at Makerere University College of Health Sciences and Mbarara University of Science and Technology, the two leading public universities in Uganda. The program targeted postgraduate medical trainees and consisted of a two-day training event featuring didactic lectures and interactive case-based learning seminars (see photos). Topics covered included indications for blood and blood component use, transfusion reactions, patient blood management, and bleeding assessment and management. The curriculum, lectures and seminars were adapted from Transfusion Camp-Canada and Transfusion Camp-Rwanda through collaboration between Canadian and Ugandan faculty. The sessions were delivered primarily by local Ugandan faculty in person, with select topics delivered remotely by Canadian faculty through either live or pre-recorded presentations.
Key outputs and post-course evaluation: A total of 225 trainees participated in the training: 150 from Makerere University and 75 from Mbarara University. Of these, 118 completed demographic and course feedback forms. Postgraduate trainee levels amongst respondents included; 31 (26%) in 1st-year, 39 (33%) 2nd-year, 46 (39%) final-year (3rd-year), plus 1 clinical fellow and 1 PhD student. Prior to commencing postgraduate training, 86% of respondents had practiced in Uganda and represented diverse healthcare practice backgrounds (Table 1).
Table 1: A summary of the participants’ healthcare practice prior to commencing postgraduate training
The majority of respondents (91%) expressed willingness to facilitate future Transfusion Camps themselves and 97% indicated their intention to apply the TM guidelines learned from the program into daily practice. Specific areas where trainees emphasized anticipated change in practice included appropriate indications for transfusion and adopting Patient Blood Management (PBM) strategies. Other areas included principles of Using Blood Wisely [5] such as adopting restrictive transfusion approaches and transfusing one unit at time.
General comments about the program delivery highlighted the need for more time to cover content and to internalize the learning, as well as the importance of incorporating local case scenarios into seminars to enhance relevance. Table 2 summarize participants’ level of agreement with one aspect of the course evaluation – the anticipated adaptation of transfusion medicine guidelines in their practice.
We are grateful to the ISBT Academy for supporting Transfusion Camp-Uganda.
Table 2: Participants’ capabilities and confidence after attending Transfusion Camp:
References
1. Louw VJ, Nel MM, Hay JF. Factors affecting the current status of transfusion medicine education in South Africa. Transfus Apher Sci. 2013 Dec;49(3):665-72.
2. Makani J, Lyimo M, Magesa P, Roberts DJ. Strengthening medical education in haematology and blood transfusion: postgraduate programmes in Tanzania. Br J Haematol. 2017 Jun;177(6):838-845.
3. Lin Y, Tilokee E, Chargé S, Alam A, Cserti-Gazdewich C, Lau W, Lee C, et al. Transfusion Camp: a prospective evaluation of a transfusion education program for multispecialty postgraduate trainees. Transfusion. 2019 Jun;59(6):2141-2149.
4. Skelton T, Nizeyimana F, Pendergrast J, Hagumimana J, Masaisa F, Kanyamuhunga A, et al. Transfusion medicine education delivery in Rwanda: Adapting Transfusion Camp to a resource-limited setting. Transfusion. 2023 Nov;63(11):2159-2169
5. Lin Y, Levinson W, Day D, Lett R, Petraszko T, Huynh T, Patey AM. Using Blood Wisely: lessons learnt in establishing a national implementation programme to reduce inappropriate red blood cell transfusion. BMJ Open Qual. 2024 Apr 3;13(2)
