MEPI AT V SYMPOSIUM, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED?
The program “Medical Education Partnership Initiative” MEPI, is being implemented for 05 years, in 13 medical education institutions of 12 countries in Africa Sub-Saharan since 2010, with funding from the US Government through PEPFAR, on to the overall fighting efforts of HIV AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
Were defined as key objectives of the Program, (1) increase the number of new health workers; (2) strengthen in the countries, the medical education system; (3) leverage clinical and scientific research capacity as part of a staff retention strategy in the health systems of each country.
Thus, the partners in the implementation of MEPI, during the period of the Program, organize annually a Symposium, the largest medical education event in Africa, in which participating teachers, researchers and decision makers in health policy and medical education not only of the continent as the 4 corners of the world in order to share the achievements and success stories, experiences and notable information and build networks and partnerships for the continuation of good practice that this program provided.
Indeed, the V Symposium of the Program took place from 14 – 16 July 2015 in Harare – Zimbabwe, whose theme was: Sustaining MEPI Achievements – Leadership Built, Lessons learnt and Partnerships created towards AIDS free generation. In this symposium, although the program ends this year, it was decided to be held another in 2016 in Kenya to monitor the sustainability of MEPI’s achievements and a network of students was created in the medical education schools that implemented the project.
Mozambique attended the symposium with a delegation of 11 people, including teachers, researchers, administrators and government officials. Researchers moderated sessions and presented six themes that constitute a summary of their research and experience: Prof Emilia Noormahomed, Principal Investigator of MEPI – Mozambique and Vice Rector of Lúrio University, lectured on the strategy to promote health education in rural communities through training of professionals of health; Prof. Ana Olga Mocumbi, Cardiologist and Co -Investigator of MEPI, presented two topics: Pilot Study on the Diagnosis of HIV-related disease through ultrasound equipment and Decentralization of Postgraduate Training in Low Income Countries ; Dr Matchecane Cossa, Surgeon and Co -Investigador of MEPI Linked Award presented a topic on Strengthening surgical capacity in rural hospitals of Mozambique Vs Implementation of surgical research capacity within the Eduardo Mondlane University, Prof. Mamudo Ismail, presented its vision on MEPI’s contribution in the development of e-Learning and its sustainability in public universities and, finally, Dr. Luisa Panguene, National Deputy Director of Human Resources, which represented in this event the Minister of Health of Mozambique, gave a reflection on the contribution the MEPI Innovation Training for Health Care Workers in Mozambique.
MEPI Symposiums, before Zimbabwe, had been organized by Mozambique in 2014, Uganda in 2013, Ethiopia in 2012 and South Africa in 2011.