In a world where someone with a survivable injury is six times more likely to die simply because of where they were born, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has taken a bold stand. Last week (Thursday 26 June 2025), the College officially launched Global CARE - Creating Access to Resources and Education. This pivotal occasion marked a transformative step forward in the College's commitment to global health equity, bringing together Members, Fellows, donors, and partners who share our vision of a fairer, more equitable global healthcare system.
Surgery Saves Lives. Access Changes Everything
Professor Rowan Parks opened the evening with a compelling address that outlined Global CARE's founding principles and ambitious vision. Previously known as the Global Surgery Foundation established in 2015, the College already invested £117,000 through previous initiatives across countries including Malawi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Nepal. Professor Parks articulated the importance of moving beyond traditional aid models toward genuine partnership, highlighting that Global CARE's success would be measured not by the number of interventions delivered, but by the sustainable capacity built and the long-term relationships forged with healthcare professionals worldwide.
A Powerful Call for Ethical Action
The evening's keynote address by Professor Tony Redmond provided both inspiration and sobering reflection on the urgent need for ethical, sustainable global health interventions. Drawing on decades of frontline humanitarian experience, Professor Redmond spoke candidly about the consequences of poorly coordinated aid efforts, highlighting the devastating impact of short-term responses that lack local understanding or accountability.
His account of the Haiti earthquake response was particularly powerful, describing how some medical teams performed amputations at rates reaching up to 85%, often without consent or proper documentation. Professor Redmond's description of such interventions as "disaster tourism and a medical shame" served as a stark reminder of why Global CARE's approach is so crucial - ensuring that good intentions are matched with genuine accountability and partnership.
Creating Partnerships, Not Dependency
Professor Redmond's message underscored the very ethos of Global CARE: that real change comes not from creating dependency, but from building long-term partnerships that develop lasting local capacity. He reminded us of the stark inequalities that persist globally - people with survivable injuries in low-income countries are six times more likely to die than those in high-income settings.
Yet the potential for positive impact is immense. When we invest properly in surgical and perioperative care, the benefits extend far beyond immediate survival, strengthening entire economies, improving community wellbeing, and driving sustainable development.
Celebrating Our First Grant Recipients
Another highlight of the evening was announcing our inaugural Global CARE Grant and Scholarship recipients - six remarkable individuals leading life-changing projects across six countries. With a total commitment of £41,200, these awards represent our first tangible steps in supporting sustainable, locally led healthcare solutions.
The first ever Global CARE Awards were selected through a comprehensive review process led by an expert panel, chaired by Professor Angus Watson, bringing together diverse perspectives and knowledge.
The panel included Mr Mohammad Riaz, a Consultant General Surgeon with 30+ years of experience managing military and civilian disasters across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Far East; Miss Ann Sunny, Consultant General Surgeon at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, with surgical expertise, simulation and global health education across Scotland, England and India; Dr Aravinda Guntupalli, Senior Lecturer in Global Health at University of Aberdeen specialising in health inequalities research, spanning India, the UK, Kenya and Zimbabwe; and Eimear Monaghan from NHS Grampian, contributing clinical and academic expertise in global healthcare.
2025 Global CARE Awards
Rachael Collins and Dr Kenneth Mlay – Large Grant £10,000 for Improving access to ENT care in rural Tanzania
“This funding will help us improve ENT care access in rural Tanzania and enhance airway training in partnership with colleagues at KCMC, representing a meaningful investment in patient-centred education and Global Health education.”
Dr Becky Sandford, Mr Mustafa Musajee and Professor Paul Odula – Large Grant £10,000 for Limb Salvage Surgery Training in Kenya
"This funding will train non-specialist surgeons to recognise diabetes-related limb conditions, aiming to reduce death, disability and limb loss while building healthcare professional networks, which will support the wider communities.”
Jayanth Kesave – Large Grant £10,000 for Nutritional support for paediatric surgical patients in Nepal (Generously funded by the Sir Henry Wade's Pilmuir Trust)
“We will be able to establish a comprehensive nutrition care program that will directly benefit 300 paediatric surgical patients through screening, counselling and supplementation, while building local capacity and creating sustainable nutrition guidelines for long-term impact.”
Dr Meron Mulat Gebrehiwot and Dr Ashenafi Yitbarek – Small Grant £3,000 for Improving pre-hospital burn care in Ethiopia (Partially funded by the Triennial Conference Donors)
“This project will be the first step in helping build a strong foundation for improving post-war care in Mekelle, reducing disease burden and mortality, while leaving a lasting impact on the perception of the general public.”
Haleemah Abdul-Razakq – Small Grant £3,100 for Salivary biomarker research for early oral cancer detection in Thailand
“This funding will transform how we detect oral cancer—replacing invasive biopsies with simple saliva tests that can save lives in underserved communities, catch cancer earlier when treatment is less disfiguring, and give every dentist the power to spot potentially life-threatening lesions before it's too late."
Dr Kuburat Oluwatoyin Monisola Adenrele – Scholarship £5,120 for Cataract surgery training at Aravind Eye Hospital, India (to return to Nigeria)
“This scholarship will enable me to acquire skills to restore sight through high quality eye surgery to help reduce blindness in Nigeria, which currently accounts for over 40% in people above 40 years old in Nigeria.”
These projects are each designed to create lasting impact through local capacity building and sustainable healthcare solutions.
A Vision for the Future
As Professor Redmond eloquently concluded in his speech, "there is no healthcare without global healthcare." This message resonated deeply throughout the Fellows Library and reflects a truth that many across our College and wider network understand: that health equity is not just a moral imperative, but a practical necessity for global wellbeing.
Get Involved
The success of Global CARE depends on the continued support of our community. Whether through partnership, collaboration, or philanthropic contribution, there are many ways to be part of this transformative work.
If you are interested in supporting Global CARE or would like to explore collaboration opportunities, please contact our dedicated team: Gemma Elliott (Head of Fundraising) for partnership opportunities (g.elliott@rcsed.ac.uk) or Malou Micola (Project Lead) (m.micola@rcsed.ac.uk).
Together, we will advance our mission, one partnership, one project, one scholarship at a time.
More information can be found here.
Global CARE Launch Event - 26 June 2025
Global CARE - Creating Access to Resources and Education - is the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's new initiative focused on building sustainable, ethical partnerships to improve global health equity.