E-DRUG: Course: Rational Management of Medicines - a focus on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria
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Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to announce the eighth international postgraduate training
course on:
RATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF MEDICINES - A FOCUS ON HIV/AIDS, TB AND MALARIA
3 - 14 November 2008
Ifakara, Tanzania
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.
Rational medicine policy and management is critically important in view of
constrained health budgets to achieve efficiency, equity and quality of
health care in pluralistic health systems.
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
Concept and principles of rational medicine management in pluralistic and
reforming health systems
Roles of different stakeholders including health workers, traditional
healers, research organisations and the pharmaceutical industry
The international context, global treaties and national medicine policy
Treatment guidelines, essential medicine lists and personal medicine lists
Patterns of medicine use, strategies for the promotion of rational
medicine use, community medicine use
Antimicrobial resistance and approaches for containment
Medicine quality and quality assurance
Rational management of HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis related
Framework and components of a medicine supply system including procurement
and distribution
Elements of medicine costs, affordability and financing options
Critical medicine information management
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 2008
COURSE FEE
The total course fee is CHF 2300.- (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
Tanzania has to be organized by the participant.
There are only very limited scholarships available for this course.
LOCATION
Tanzania Training Centre for International Health in Ifakara, Tanzania.
Next to a successful research institution (IHRDC) and the renovated St.
Francis Designated District Hospital with 370 beds, a modern and well
equipped campus for teaching and training is available in a remote rural
region of Tanzania about 420 km South West of Dar es Salaam that is
reached by train or road. The many interfaces between theoretical and
practical training make Ifakara a focal point for teaching and research in
beautiful Tanzania.
COURSE FACULTY
The course is facilitated by international and national experts. The
academic panel will include a number of highly experienced professionals
from MEDUNSA (Limpopo), Phasuma, Nuffield (Leeds), STI, WHO, Tanzanian
MOH, MSH and IHRDC.
COURSE COORDINATOR
Dr. Karin Wiedenmayer (STI)
CONTACT ADDRESS
Swiss Tropical 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.sti.ch
THE SWISS TROPICAL INSTITUTE
The Swiss Tropical Institute (STI) was founded in 1943. The STI offers an
interdisciplinary approach to research, teaching and services in the field
of International Health.
The aim of the STI is to contribute to the improvement of the health of
populations internationally and nationally through excellence in research,
services and teaching and training. Activities of the Institute in the
framework of national and international mandates have led to its
world-wide recognition in the field of International Health.
The STI has significant expertise in the pharmaceutical sector with
teaching and training, research, clinical trials, assessments and
implementation verification and international development cooperation. STI
offers postgraduate courses in various topics for health staff.
TROPED
A collaborative network of 27 Tropical Institutes and related institutions
in 13 different countries in Europe offers a joint modular Masterâ€~s
Curriculum in International Health (MIH). The modular structure allows the
studies to be spread over 5 years.
For further information: www.troped.org