Sources: Staci Murray, 785-532-4892; and
David Hodgson, 785-532-4254, hodgson@vet.k-state.edu
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-6415
News release prepared by: Joe Montgomery, 785-532-4193, jmontgom@vet.k-state.edu
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007
VETERINARY PROFESSOR FROM K-STATE HELPS AFGHAN UNIVERSITY
MANHATTAN -- It's unusual to think of a Kansas State University professor wanting to teach at KU, but perhaps it's even more unusual when KU stands for Kabul University in Afghanistan.
A faculty member in the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine recently returned from Kabul University where he helped train faculty and students in veterinary science.
Dr. David Hodgson, associate professor in anesthesiology, was in Afghanistan from mid-June to mid-November. His trip was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. During that period, he e-mailed weekly updates to the staff and others about the many challenges he faced.
"My main goal was to try to make a difference every day," Hodgson said. "I worked diligently to try and help their veterinary students develop skills to make a diagnosis rather than treating the first symptom they see without further consideration."
Some of the challenges were due to a shortage of drugs, supplies and equipment. Hodgson also overcame cultural differences, language barriers and potential issues relating to personal safety and security due to Taliban activity around Kabul. In the veterinary clinic, Hodgson assisted in the treatment of feral dogs, sheep, cattle, horses and cats.
Upon hearing about the shortage of supplies, K-State faculty, staff and donors to the college sent a variety of items to him in Afghanistan. Hodgson related his discovery of these donations in an August e-mail.
"I received a box of various supplies from K-State today," he wrote. "It was almost like opening a Christmas present when I was a child. I am thankful to now have gauze to tie an endotracheal tube, caps for the IV catheters that we have never used and a box of adhesive tape. These are a major step forward for the KU clinic. I will now train faculty and students to place an IV catheter properly. Until this time we have had only one roll of adhesive tape. The items provided by K-State make a big difference in our potential activities."
Although he is glad to be home, Hodgson said he may consider returning to Kabul University next spring or summer through the U.S. Agency for International Development program.
"I tried to lay the foundation for sustained progress and improvement in the KU clinic and in the faculty of veterinary science," Hodgson said. "I hope I stimulated a dream for the future that is not going back to the way it was before the wars, but to become something much better. Sustainability and building capacity are important concepts that I embrace, but the delivery and long-term realization of these goals will take continued effort by many people from outside Afghanistan. Kabul University needs our support for years to come."
The U.S. Agency for International Development grant is administered by Purdue University with the purpose of developing agricultural education in Afghanistan to support rebuilding the country's ravaged economy. Purdue's Advancing Afghan Agriculture Alliance program helps develop agriculture and veterinary programs at Afghan universities and create partnerships among the country's Ministry of Agriculture, local economic development organizations and universities.
Kevin McNamara, project leader and a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue, leads the project. "We want to revitalize the university environment and link education to local needs and opportunities," he said.
K-State also has two other partnerships with Kabul University funded by the World Bank to strengthen engineering and English. These partnerships involve K-State faculty from four colleges: Engineering; Architecture, Planning and Design; Arts and Sciences; and Education.