On a sunny day in 2008, a couple arrived in Uganda on a recommendation about MUST from a friend. This was a turning point of their decision to join MUST family and serve. Their dream became a reality in October 2012 through the partnership between MUST and African Inland Mission from United Kingdom. Drs. Derek and Nerina Harborne have voluntarily served MUST for the last ten years and this month they end their mission as professional voluntary missionaries. The International Relations Officer had an exclusive interview with the couple and brings you the story about their life and experience at MUST.
Dr. Derek started the Department of Emergency Medicine that opened its doors to the first students in 2018. As a practicing emergency medicine specialist for 30 years before he came to MUST, he ably developed the curriculum of Master of Medicine (MMED) in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Derek was the only emergency resident specialist here in Uganda at the time and the MMED in Emergency Medicine was the first recognized program in the whole country in 2017. Dr. Derek also wrote the 2-year program Diploma in Emergency Medicine that started at the same time and targets the Diploma Nurses and Clinical Officers. From its MMED program, the Department has had 07 graduates since its inception and currently has 15 students while the diploma program has had 15 graduates and current students are 2. Emergency services is one of the core top priorities for Ministry of Health and has been for the last four years! Dr. Derek’s services have indeed been vital.
“The staff and students have been awesome. Students should know that they are taught by the best. They should be proud of the staff they have at MUST as they achieve academic and professional excellence; they should not just look to or think of the west as the only specialists. MUST is doing great” said Dr. Derek.
With her PhD in Biophysics, Dr. Nerina has taught Biochemistry to all undergraduate medical students since 2012. She participated in the development of the Master of Science in Biochemistry whose first graduates were in 2018.
As missionaries, Drs. Derek and Nerina Harborne have ministered students and staff in St. Luke’s Chapel where they have served as Discipleship coordinators training students in Bible study. “It has been a great pleasure and delight serving at St. Luke’s chapel especially teaching bible study sessions. Qualified educated people are usually the leaders in church so they need to be equipped with the word of God and passing it on to others” said Dr. Nerina. Moreso, they have lived in the community, preached in village churches and appreciated Ugandan cultures and nature.
Dr. Nerina is grateful to the University leadership for giving them an opportunity to serve as visiting Lecturers for 10 years. She says she will miss the people they have worked with and the interaction they have had with students, seeing them young and naive in first year as they teach them biochemistry and a few years down the road finalise as confident professionals ready to be serve has been so fulfilling.
Very appreciative of the MUST community that has hosted them for now a decade, Dr. Derek expresses utmost gratitude to MUST management, Academic Registrar, 4 Deans of Faculty of Medicine he has interacted with, staff, African Inland Mission, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and Seed Global Health that have worked smoothly to enable them attain great milestones in Emergency Medicine at MUST. They both believe they have done what God wanted them to do and are leaving with great memories from Uganda. After MUST, the couple plans to spend time with their family and to serve in the church.
MUST has indeed been blessed with Drs. Derek and Nerina Harborne’s selfless service and will miss them!