Virack Vidamaly, MD, Director of Lao-Luxembourg Provincial Hospital, is hosting the international medical education team. In support of the training, Dr Virack stated: “We hope the team leader will continue to cooperate, without limit, in the future, because health care in Lao PDR is one part of the poverty eradication program of the government by 2020.”
In July, 2009, Health Leadership International signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Lao Ministry of Health to provide continuing medical education throughout Lao PDR. Signing for Health Leadership International was project leader, Phoumy Bounkeua, PA-C, PhD “I am happy to be back in my father’s land to partner with the Ministry toward their goals of Healthy Lao 2020.”
Reba McIntyre, MSW, MPA, PhD, founder of Health Leadership International, brings years of experience in international health education. “Health Leadership International was created to “allow people with professional experience to volunteer their time to make the world a better place,” she asserts. “All team members pay their own way so that all funds can go directly to support our mission.”
The Lao healthcare training project brings village healthcare workers from underserved, rural areas to learn “best practices” in primary care. In addition, Health Leadership International will conduct educational seminars in medical leadership for health officials and hospital administrators.
Twenty-four staff from 13 different districts or health centers are attending the training, with 16 Lao physicians serving as trainers. In addition, 28 leadership trainees, 60 medical-English students, and 24 Lao-Luxembourg Provincial Hospital healthcare workers are participating in the program.
The 2009 trainings will mark the second round of Health Leadership International trainings in the Lao PDR. In February 2008, a six-person team conducted a two-week training in Luang Prabang at the invitation of Dr. Sichanh Himpanphanh, Director of the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital.
The Lao healthcare training project was developed in response to Lao PDR’s pressing need for medical training in primary healthcare. The curriculum design addresses two main objectives: to strengthen the diagnostic, clinical, and emergency management skills of Lao village health workers who serve as first responders in rural areas and to train health officials and hospital administrators in medical leadership and systems thinking. Health Leadership International’s medical faculty offer courses in History and Physical Assessment, Emergency Medicine, Reproductive Health, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics, Ultrasound, Behavioral Health, and Medical English, with Lao provincial hospitals hosting the trainings and providing support. Dr. Virack, Director of Lao-Luxembourg Provincial Hospital will host the trainings and provide facilities and support.
Employing a “train the trainer” model, each Health Leadership International medical faculty member is paired with English speaking, Lao medical professionals who will be co-trainers of the courses. All curriculum materials, including PowerPoint presentations include Lao translations done by the Lao co-trainers. Upon completion of the course, Lao co-trainers will retain the curriculum materials, in order to carry the work forward into other under-served areas after the Health Leadership International team leaves.
Village healthcare workers who attend the trainings will take home Lao translations of two basic healthcare texts and stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs. Lao-Luxembourg Provincial Hospital will receive an Ultrasound machine for providing healthcare in their districts. This machine was donated by SonoSite Corporation of Seattle, Washington. These portable units, which run off batteries, were designed for medical emergencies in remote locations.
The 2009 Lao Health Training project is made possible by grants from the Robert K. Pedersen Global Health Physician Assistant Foundation, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Seattle International Rotary Foundation, Seattle Rotary 4, the Kerr and Wells Family Foundation, and individual donors.
Health Leadership International is a volunteer organization of professionals in healthcare, social services, education, and media who are committed to international health training and a more just vision of global health. For more information, please visit www.healthleadershipinternational.org.
