i-BRAIN Global: Improving Medical Education and Health Care Delivery through Engagement
The largest crisis of the health system in resource-limited countries is the lack of specialist staff. This deficiency is caused by the lack of education, medical supplies, and training infrastructures, as well as the emigration of staff, among other factors. Many doctors still work in the field of neuroscience under bad conditions. Therefore, the quality of care is very restricted.
The purpose of the project is to provide closer cooperation between medical specialists in developed and underserved areas.
The aims are to:
– cover the need for further education and training
– improve “on-the-job training”
– improve facilities with customised sustainable and cost-efficient medical equipment, as well as the training to use this equipment
– introduce fast “point-of-care” diagnostic possibilities
– optimise the management and organisation of clinical procedures and process in practice.
Activities:
The focus of the program is to train doctors and medical professionals in the use of simple, modern, “minimally-invasive” diagnostic and therapeutic instruments such as sonography and endoscopy.
A two-week further education event is planned in 3-month intervals with:
I. Workshops and seminars
II. Special certified courses lasting for several days for carers in institutions (to use and assist in the use of modern medical equipment). Courses for sonography, endoscopy, and basics of CT scan are available.
III. Joint visits and operations on patients (at each location)
IV. Appointment of specialised doctors (faculty) each year from developed and underserved countries, who organise and manage the further education events with their colleagues in underserved areas, give the opportunities to doctors and medical professionals in training from developed regions to learn more concerning common pathologies in resource-limited regions.
The specialised doctors of developed and developing countries are obligated to work / teach for at least 2 weeks every 24 months within the scope of the project in resource-limited regions and sign a volunteer contract.
Sustainability
We aim to educate sufficient doctors, nurses and other medical staffs in resource-impoverish locations after 3 years, so that, above all, sonography and endoscopy become a routine diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.
They should be able to handle the instruments safely, servicing should be guaranteed and, above all, they should be installed for the hospitals economically and profitably.
Two hospitals in resource-limited countries should serve as pilot centers and benchmarks for other hospitals.
After 4 years, the location of the project will be changed and the project will then be continued in 2 other hospitals in other areas of the country.
It is a joint project from:
– BRAIN Global and interested institutions
Project hospitals/locations
i-BRAINGlobal – Steering Committee
Dr. Mekuatse Florence, Munich, Germany
Coordination: Mme Fubis Josephine Centre Pasteur du Cameroon
