[Alma Mata] THET: July 2008 E-Bulletin

Mon Jul 7 14:53:53 BST 2008

Dear Friend

Welcome to THET's e-bulletin which includes news and information
relevant to Health Links and THET activities.  The e-bulletin will be
circulated every month.  

If you have any materials or news which you would like to publicise,
please send the information to the editor of this e-bulletin, Aisha
Latif, aisha at thet.org.  Conference and workshop reviews are also
welcome.  Note that we are unable to distribute attachments so please
ensure that your item can be pasted into an e-mail message.  

Feel free to forward this e-bulletin to anyone who might be interested.

________________________________

FUNDING AND COMPETITIONS

Raise funds for your Link with the 2008 Health Links Raffle!  - As part
of our 20th Anniversary celebrations, THET is delighted to announce the
launch of a Health Links Raffle.  Links who participate in the raffle
will be entitled to 50% of their ticket sales (net of costs)!  For full
terms and conditions and to order raffle tickets for your Link, please
contact THET's Fundraiser, Thea Lacey (thea at thet.org).   

The Wellcome Trust offers a range of fellowships for applicants from the
UK and overseas.   For overseas applicants, this is for public health
and tropical medicine research.  For UK applicants fellowships are
awarded for biomedical research.   More details of the fellowships can
be found on the Wellcome Trust site 

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Biomedical-science/International-fundi
ng/index.htm

Say it with Flowers - THET has joined Charity Flowers Direct, who will
give 15% of the total retail price of each order for flowers to THET.
Don't forget to quote the Charity Source Code "THET" when you order.  To
find out more about this great scheme click on the link below
http://www.thet.org.uk/index.php#page/index/Charity_Flowers.html

NEWS

THET has published a Health Links Overview, which gives factual
information about Health Links, where THET Health Links can be found,
the type of institutions that get involved in Health Links work, and
charts the increase in the number of THET Health Links established in
the past 20 years.  To download a copy of the overview, please click
below

http://www.thet.org.uk/index.php?/page/news.html

The Scottish and Malawian Clinics Project has developed an online
community of linked Malawian and Scottish clinics, with the Malawi
Clinics Blog providing a continuous update of news from the different
clinics, links to relevant developments in information and
communications technology, and the sharing of video and photo
documentation from colleagues in both countries.  To find out more about
the project and join their on-line blogging community, please click
below

http://malawiclinics.org/about/

Teaching skills in West African Medical and Nursing Schools - A
consortium was established recently (on THET's initiative) comprising
six medical and nursing schools in West Africa (Ibadan, Jos and Ahmadu
Bello in Nigeria; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in
Kumasi, Ghana; and the Universities of Sierra Leone and The Gambia) in a
partnership with the British Medical Schools of Liverpool and Swansea.
The focus of the partnership will be to run a part-time, 2-year,
distance learning MSc course in medical education and teaching skills.
Those registered on the course will be junior university staff, who will
undertake their studies (including a substantial educational project) at
their "home" institution.

The consortium has secured external funds from the European Union
(EDULINK), and the Universities of Liverpool and Swansea have
contributed substantial staff time in support of the programme. The
total cost of the project will be in excess of Euro 726,000. The
academic leadership, and the distance learning course, will be based in
Ibadan, and a level of oversight of the project and quality assurance
will be in the hands of the West African College of Physicians, The West
Africa College of Surgeons and THET.

Information about the EDULINK programme, which has funded programmes in
support of university education in each of the last 3 years, can be
obtained from: 

http://www.acp-edulink.eu/

Robert Tiffany International Nursing Award - Andrew Clarke, Health
Adviser in Practice and Development for overseas charity, Child Welfare
Scheme, and a part-time Health Visitor for East Lancashire Primary Care
Trust was declared the winner of Nursing Standard's  Robert Tiffany
International Nursing Award.  Andrew received the award for his work
with Nepali organisations to deliver innovative and cost effective
healthcare to poor urban and rural communities in Nepal.   He collected
his award at the prestigious Nursing Standard Awards Ceremony in March.
Congratulations to Andrew!  Further information about Andrew's work can
be found at

http://www.childwelfarescheme.org/homef.php.

The Nursing Standard Nurse Awards are organised by Nursing Standard, now
in their 19th year, and the awards provide a unique opportunity to
highlight and reward excellent practice within the nursing profession.
Further information about the Nursing Standard Nurse 2008 Awards can be
found at

www.nurseawards.co.uk <http://www.nurseawards.co.uk/> 

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) funding from the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to cease.  Since 1959 more than
25,000 Commonwealth citizens have benefited from being able to pursue
further study in the UK - however in a surprise decision the idea of
reciprocal academic learning and cultural exchange will no longer be
supported  through this route.  Moves are now underway to get this
decision reversed, and you can consider signing the petition below.
(Please note Department for International Development funding for CSFP
has not ceased - applications submitted through THET previously have
involved DFID funding).

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/comschols/

Global Health Workforce Alliance - commissioned the world's leading
health and hospital professional associations (International Council of
Nurses, the International Hospital Federation, the International
Pharmaceutical Federation, the World Confederation for Physical Therapy,
the World Dental Federation and the World Medical Association) to
identify and implement solutions to the health workforce crisis.  The
result was the first-ever joint guidelines on incentives for the
retention and recruitment of health professionals.  The findings
identifying financial and non financial incentives can be found here.

http://www.who.int/workforcealliance/news/incentives-guidelines/en/index
.html

EVENTS

THET Links Conference, London, 6 June 2008 - Over 100 participants in
international Health Links, together with interested policy makers and
commentators, gathered together at Imperial College, London for THET's
Links Conference.  There were highly topical presentations from
individual Links (including King's/Somaliland, and Brighton/Lusaka),
from Stewart Tyson of DFID and Nick Banatvala of the DH, from Professor
Eldryd Parry, THET's founder and Trustee, and an outstanding
contribution from Dr Eddie Addai, Director of Planning, Monitoring and
Evaluation in Ghana's Health Ministry.  We were also delighted to
welcome Dr Frances Omaswa, former Director of Medical Services in Uganda
and recently retired General Secretary of the Global Health Workforce
Alliance.  Copies of the presentations are available on THET's website

http://www.thet.org.uk/index.php?/page/index/reportsandnews.html

Wales for Africa Health Links Conference, Swansea, 27 June 2008 - This
key Welsh Links event was so popular that some applicants had to be
turned away. There were particularly striking contributions by Links
partners from Ibadan, Nigeria and Somaliland, and a heart warming
presentation by medical students from Swansea about their link with
their counterparts in the Gambia - a new generation of health
professionals with a massive commitment to global health. Full details
of this significant event and presentations are on the Wales Centre for
Health's website

http://new.wales.gov.uk/news/presreleasearchive/2340973/?lang=en 

http://www.shnwales.org.uk/page.cfm?orgId=444&pid=31506

NHS Confederation Annual Conference, Manchester, 18-20 June 2008 - THET
Trustee Michael Parker, Chair of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation
Trust, Kevan Taylor, Chief Executive of Sheffield Care Trust, and THET
Health Strategy Adviser, Penny Humphris, led a special workshop during
the high powered annual conference of the NHS Confederation, on the
subject of international Health Links and why NHS organisations should
consider getting involved. The session was attended by about 40 Chairs
and Chief Executives of NHS organisations and generated a range of
interest in getting involved in health links.  For more information
about the Conference and for speaker presentations, please visit

http://www.nhsconfed.org/issues/delivering-the-future-today.cfm?frmAlias
=/2008/

British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual Meeting, Manchester,
23-27 June 2008 - Penny Humphris also took part in a session run by
Urolink at the British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual Meeting
in Manchester, explaining the work of THET. The session was well
attended and focused on how international health development can be
supported by urologists helping with training of counterparts overseas.
There were fascinating presentations on work by urologists in Gambia and
India.  More details can be found at

http://www.baus.org.uk/baus_annual_meeting_2008_.phtml

GOOD PRACTICE

The Glostavent is a new anaesthetic machine which has been developed
over the past ten tears at the suggestion of colleagues working in the
developing world, to help them overcome the particular difficulties they
encounter.  It has been specifically designed to enable them to deliver
inhalational anaesthesia safely and effectively in any situation.  It is
easy to understand and operate, economical to run, and can continue to
function without interruption if the oxygen or electricity fails. It has
been designed so that it can be serviced and maintained using locally
available skills.  The Glostavent is now in use in over 30 countries.
Further information is available from the manufacturer Diamedica at
info at diamedica.co.uk or on the web www.glostavent.com.  Dr  Roger
Eltringham of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital can arrange practical
demonstrations and can be contacted by e- mail,
reltringham at btinternet.com, or by mobile phone on 07774 276284.

An Evaluation of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals and University
Teaching Hospital Zambia Health Link was carried out in April 2008.  The
evaluation report makes observations in relation to its work on
accidents and emergencies; HIV/AIDS; radiography; and the teaching of
research methods and critical appraisal.  The report demonstrates that,
even within the short history of the Link, impact has been achieved -
most notably in relation to its work on HIV/AIDS.  The report is
available from THET's website

http://www.thet.org.uk/index.php#page/index/guidance.html

Links Manual Consultation - In 2005 THET produced the first ever Links
manual which was a useful guide for those who wanted to start up,
sustain, develop and fund a Link.  This first edition of the Links
Manual was based on THET's own experiences and those of the Links we
have worked with and has helped to strengthen Links, the Links movement,
and to raise awareness about Links. 

Over the last three years, the context for Links has changed
substantially.  The Links movement has grown in number and in quality
and has become more strategic in what it intends to achieve.  New issues
have emerged, and some existing information about how to develop
effective and efficient Links needs updating.  We are working on
producing a revised second edition of the Links manual to be published
in late 2008, and would welcome your feedback on the current manual.  If
you have any views on what information you found useful in the first
edition of the Links Manual and any questions the first edition does not
address sufficiently, please e-mail maia at thet.org with your comments and
suggestions.  If you would prefer to do this over the telephone please
e-mail Maia to arrange a time to talk.

Eldis's website provides valuable information and research for Health
Links involved in health work.   A journal article examining data on
African health professionals abroad has just been added to their
publically searchable database.  For an abstract and link to the
article, please click here

http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/health-systems&id=35170&t
ype=Document

TALC (Teaching-aids At Low Cost) has a supply of health books and CDs
which are always very much appreciated by health workers in countries
overseas, particularly as the custom for visitors to bring a gift is
strong in many African societies, and up to date relevant books
particularly are always in short supply.  Check TALC's range on our
website for some great gift ideas for your next trip. 

www.talcuk.org <http://www.talcuk.org/> 

Visa Requirements for Overseas Visitors  - Tips to ensure your overseas
visitor's application goes smoothly include:  Overseas visitors
submitting their visa application in good time, providing the correct
paperwork as requested by the relevant embassy, and for UK partners to
ensure their overseas partner has been sent an invitation letter that
clearly states how the visit will be funded, the purpose of the visit
and the dates of the visit.  For more information and guidance on this
issue, please have a look at the information on THET's website

http://www.thet.org.uk/index.php?/page/index/guidance.html

Cheap overseas phone calls - Links are reminded that cheap overseas
phone calls can me made through companies such as Telediscount and
Telestunt to keep in touch with your overseas partner.   There are also
many other companies who offer cheap phone calls, including downloading
software from companies such as Truphone to obtain free and low mobile
phone calls overseas through the internet.  

http://www.truphone.com/?gclid=CI6VlpX_uZICFQHD1AodC31bbg

http://www.telediscount.co.uk/index2.php

http://www.telestunt.co.uk/

And you can find the cheapest way of calling different countries, by
comparing charges for mobiles and landlines, by using International Call
Checker .

http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/

Online Links Search facility - Remember to join our on-line Health Links
community on the web.  This is an on-line database, an excellent source
of information about what Health Links are doing, where are they doing
it, and their contact information. If you are a Health Link who has not
yet registered, please contact Kelly Henderson on kelly at thet.org. 

CHANGES AT THET 

THET said goodbye to Nicola Bevan last week, and wishes her well in her
exciting new role overseas.   A new Charity Administrator will be
appointed shortly.  

WORKING OVERSEAS - VACANCIES

An Optometrist, or alternatively an orthoptist, is sought to lead the
Training Programme at the National Refraction & Low Vision Programme and
Training Centre, Madagascar under the Ministry of Health.  Funding is
through CBM for a two year post although a one year post can be offered
in the first instance.  The CBM partner is the Ministry of Health and
the post will be based at the University Teaching Hospital.  The request
has been placed through the Madagascar/Leeds VISION 2020 Health Link
initially.

Besides the clinical skills in refraction and low vision, he/she must
have ability to teach others in French.  Experience in a developmental
approach is beneficial.  Human resource development and developing
strategies in refraction and low vision will be part of the remit to
ensure affordable and accessible refractive and low vision services are
available in Madagascar.  

Please contact Marcia Zondervan, marcia.zondervan at lshtm.ac.uk, VISION
2020 Links Programme for further details.

________________________________

Aisha Latif

Links Administrator

Tropical Health and Education Trust
5th Floor

1 Wimpole Street

London 

W1G 0AE

020 7290 3881