Rational Management of Medicines- A Focus on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria
1 November - 12 November 2010
Pretoria, South Africa
Below you will find a summary of this course.
If you are interested to attend, please check our website for the complete course description and the application form or send an email to: courses-sti@unibas.ch
For any questions or remarks, do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
Course Secretariat
Socinstrasse 57
P.O Box
CH - 4002 Basel / Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 61 284 82 80
Fax: + 41 61 284 81 06
E-mail: courses-sti@unibas.ch
Internet: www.swisstph.ch
RATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF MEDICINES-
A FOCUS ON HIV/AIDS, TB AND MALARIA
CONTENTS OVERVIEW
Health is an intrinsic human right as well as a central input to poverty reduction and socioeconomic development. Cost-effective interventions including medicines for controlling major diseases exist, but a lack of money for health and a range of system constraints hamper efforts to expand health services to the poor. From penicillin to insulin, antiseptics to antiretrovirals, science has led to dramatic improvements in health worldwide. Medicines are an essential and cost-effective tool of health care and an important element of health systems. Yet the main diseases of poverty such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis continue to claim innumerable lives in low income countries. Today, for millions of people worldwide essential medicines remain unavailable and unaffordable. Irrational medicine use is a global public health problem. Counterfeit and poor quality medicines are an additional barrier to equitable access to medicines. Millions of adults and children die each year from treatable and preventable diseases. There is an urgent need to develop adequate strategies that ensure better access to medicines. It is about getting evidence-based and effective medicines to the people who need them, whether by reducing their costs, promoting research and development, improving their distribution, increasing their efficacy and acceptability, or slowing down the development of antimicrobial resistance.
OBJECTIVES
To enable health professionals to understand and apply the concepts and principles of essential medicines and rational medicine management with a focus on the diseases of poverty HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, to recognise the need for a national and international medicine policy environment, to improve knowledge and skills and to gain practical field experience for rational medicine management within different health system contexts.
COURSE TOPICS
Historic milestones and current global medicine situation
Concept of essential medicines and its relevance in primary health care
Principles of rational medicine management in pluralistic and reforming health systems
Roles of different stakeholders including health workers, traditional healers, Ministry of Health, international organisations and the pharmaceutical industry
The international context, Global Health Initiatives, global treaties and national medicine policy
Treatment guidelines, essential medicine lists and personal medicine lists
Patterns of medicine use and adherence, strategies for promoting rational medicine use
Antimicrobial resistance and approaches for containment
Medicine quality and quality assurance
Rational management of HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis related treatment
Framework and components of a medicine supply system including procurement and distribution
Elements of medicine costs, affordability and financing options
TARGET GROUP
Health professionals and managers with experience (at least two years) in international health and the pharmaceutical sector.
DURATION
2 weeks (90 hours student investment time). Equivalent to 3 ECTS points towards the TropEd European Master in International Health. A certificate will be awarded after successful completion.
COURSE FORMAT
The course language is English. The course combines lectures, in-depth discussions of case studies, short presentations, small group exercises and field visits. The course is highly participatory and participants will be exposed to a wide range of international experiences and materials.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please contact the course secretariat for an application form.
Application deadline: 31 August 2010
COURSE FEE
The total course fee is CHF 2800.- (Swiss Francs) including tuition, accommodation/full board and must be paid 8 weeks before the start of the course. This sum includes the registration fee (CHF 100.-) which is due at the moment of acceptance. If a participant does not attend the course, the registration fee cannot be reimbursed. If cancellation is less than 4 weeks before beginning of the course an additional fee of CHF 500.- will be charged. Cost for international flights must be added. Travel to South Africa has to be organized by the participant.
There are only very limited scholarships available for this course.
LOCATION
The course will be held in Pretoria, South Africa. The Department of Pharmacy of the Medunsa Campus (previously the Medical University of Southern Africa) is the host organization. As the capital city of South Africa, Pretoria offers a wide range of cultural, social and infrastructural facilities and activities. A full range of public, private and NGO-based health care facilities is available in Pretoria, from primary health care and ART clinics to tertiary academic hospitals. The health care infrastructure provides opportunities for firsthand exposure to all the components and organizations required to ensure the rational management of medicines. The course will include site visits to some of these facilities to ensure successful interaction between theory and practice.
COURSE FACULTY
The course is facilitated by international and national experts. The academic panel will include a number of highly experienced professionals from various institutions.
COURSE COORDINATORS
Dr. Karin Wiedenmayer (SwissTPH)
Prof. Rob Summers (Medunsa)
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Karin Wiedenmayer, MSc, PharmD
Swiss Centre for International Health
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
Socinstrasse 57
CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
T+41 61 284 81 26
F+41 61 284 81 03
www.swisstph.ch / www.scih.ch
mailto:karin.wiedenmayer@unibas.ch