Thursday, May 20, 2010

National HIV Treatment Program - South Africa, April 2010

Name: Aimalohi Ahonkhai
Dates of Travel: 4/11/10-4/25/10

International program name: Catholic Relief Services: South Africa/South African Catholic Bishops Conference National HIV Treatment Program
Program amd location:
Antiretroviral Program, Catholic Relief Services, South Africa

Background:
I am conducting a retrospective cohort study of adults receiving HIV/AIDS care in the CRS/SACBC HIV treatment program in South Africa. In South Africa like many resource-poor communities, HIV care has been rapidly scaled up. Despite these efforts, HIV remains under diagnosed, and many patients once diagnosed are not linked to HIV treatment programs. Many others are not receiving life-saving therapy despite clinical eligibility, and still others do not remain in care over time. Given the myriad of challenges to providing high-quality HIV care, the aim of my study is to understand the care systems in place, and the components of these care systems responsible for the best patient outcomes, namely survival and retention in care.

Field work in Rwanda, February 2010

Christine Pace
Medicine PGY-3, BWH
April, 2010

With the support of the Center of Excellence in Global Health, I traveled to Rwanda for the month of February, 2010, to work with Partners in Health (PIH) at two of the rural district hospital sites where they work. This was my second trip to Rwanda, where I have been involved in helping develop mental health programming at PIH’s three sites. In the wake of the 1994-1995 genocide, mental illness, including depression and PTDS, is a significant public health problem in Rwanda. The Ministry of Health recognized this early on, and has tried to staff all district hospitals with psychologists and mental health nurses to address the significant need all around the country. In its mental health work, PIH aims to support existing Ministry of Health mental health programs and is also in the early stages of collaboration with MOH to pilot new programs.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bienvenidos! Aloha! Bonjour!

Welcome!
This blog has been created by the Partners Healthcare GME Office Centers of Expertise as a means for trainees to share their stories from travels around the world delivering first class healthcare in fantastic and challenging educational settings. For any questions regarding the Centers of Expertise (COE) and how to get involved, please contact the Partners Healthcare Office of Graduate Medical Education office for at 617-732-8540.