Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust celebrates the online launch of their celebrated documentary film ‘Novemba’ as it welcomes six international medical elective students from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania.

As Northumbria Healthcare welcomes medical elective students from their partner hospital Kilimanjaro Hospital Medical Centre in Tanzania, marking the 15th year of student exchange, they have arranged for Novemba, a documentary which provides a behind the scenes insight into Northumbria’s award winning international work to be released to the general public for the first time.

For almost 20 years, Northumbria’s volunteer teams have provided training and support to staff at KCMC, which has vastly improved patients’ experience of healthcare in Tanzania. In February this work was recognised with an African Healthcare Award 2018.

The documentary, which was premiered at the Global Health Film Festival in London in November 2016, follows consultant laparoscopic surgeon Mr Liam Horgan and KCMC’s head of surgery, Dr Kondo Chilonga, as they perform Tanzania’s first ever laparoscopic day-case operation. It shows the gritty reality of healthcare provision in an environment where there are few resources but a great will to provide the best healthcare possible, often against extreme odds.

Viewers will experience the harsh reality and often heartbreak that the teams face on a day to day basis as they strive to develop new healthcare services in Tanzania.

Brenda Longstaff, head of international partnerships at Northumbria Healthcare, said: “The documentary follows our team as they encounter unique challenges each day caring for Tanzanian patients.

“Over the years our volunteers have dedicated their time and expertise to share their knowledge with colleagues at KCMC and have been able to bring back many benefits to their own roles within the NHS.

“The realities of healthcare in Tanzania are a world away from what we have at home in our NHS and we are proud to have developed this partnership and make a real difference to healthcare services in Tanzania.”

The trust worked alongside Teesside University’s Aurora House Productions to produce the film. Now the documentary is available to view on YouTube and through a link on the trust‘s charity website by searching Novemba.

Northumbria Healthcare is at the forefront of work in the international volunteering field and is recognised across the NHS for its work to develop international humanitarian links, which is supported by fundraising through the trust’s Bright charity.