Glasgow University Medical School’s contribution to East Africa

• Reference:GB 250 35
• Dates of Creation:1962-1984
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  0.04 Linear Metres

• Scope and Content

  Booklets relating to Sir Arthur Porritt’s working party, 1962-1963; Reports relating to the visit of the representatives of Glasgow University to East Africa and to the Makere School of Medicine, 1964; Letters, 1964-1984; Article, memorandum and talk by Professor C M Fleming regarding the links between Glasgow and East African Universities, 1966-1984.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  In 1961, on the initiative of Sir Arthur Porritt (1900-1994) (honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the surgeon to the Royal family from 1936 onwards), a working party on Medical Aid to the Developing Countries was set up and the following year their report entitled ‘Medical Aid to the Developing Countries’ was published. Its recommendations were accepted by the Government, almost in their entirety, and universities were invited by the Government Department of Technical Co-operation to explore the possibilities of establishing mutually advantageous links with overseas universities. The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Glasgow at once expressed a wish for such an association with the University of East Africa. Four Glasgow representatives made an exploratory visit to Kampala (Uganda), Nairobi (Kenya) and Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) in February 1964. Recruitment of Glasgow staff began in November 1964, their duties being to organise and participate in the undergraduate teaching programme at Nairobi on lines similar to those used at the medical school at Makere and to promote further development of post-graduate work.The collection was gathered together by Mr William Reid, Honorary Secretary of the Senior Fellows Club, following a meeting in March 1984 at which Professor Charles M Fleming and Stewart Kennedy gave a talk on the Glasgow contribution to the University of East Africa.

• Access Information

  Access to some items may be restricted. Please contact Heritage staff at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

• Other Finding Aids

  Descriptive list available at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

• Related Material

  J. S. Kennedy “The Glasgow-Nairobi Link 1965-1967” Scottish Medical Journal, Vol 13, November 1968 Number 11 pp.359-371.