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Fall/Winter 2002
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| News |
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In an effort to increase the effectiveness of project implementation, the Eastern Cape Department of Health has established its own Health Care Task Force, which will communicate directly with our Task Force here in Massachusetts.
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Dr. Jean McGuire and two of her colleagues from the Massachusetts Department of Health AIDS Bureau traveled to the Eastern Cape in November. Mrs. Nomalanga Makwedini, of the ECDOH HIV/AIDS Directorate hosted them during the two-week visit, which included a series of meetings and two training sessions.
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| Partnership Project Updates |
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| Academic Partnerships with the University of Transkei |
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Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions (MGH/IHP)
MGH Institute of Health Professions continues to pursue the adaptation of its successful clinical research curriculum for use by the University of Transkei. MGH/IHP has submitted funding proposals designed to enhance the capacity of nurses to provide leadership in a coordinated response to HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
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University of Massachusetts Medical School
In June, Dr. Carel Mulder of the University of Massachusetts Medical School accompanied 3 African-American undergraduate and pre-med students to the University of Transkei [UNITRA] in Umtata. At UNITRA they were joined by 6 students from UNITRA or Umtata General Hospital, UNITRA's teaching hospital. The course started with 2 weeks of lectures on virology, immunology, and molecular biology. After this, the 9 students were split into 3 groups; each group tackled a different research project:
1. determine the subtypes of HIV in the Umtata region,
2. survey the presence of Hepatitis C virus in the region, and
3. determine the prevalence of Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus, the virus associated with Kaposi's Sarcoma, the most common AIDS-related cancer.
Dr Mulder was very ably assisted by Ms Tandi Matshu as instructor. The students displayed the results of their research 3 posters at the Eastern Cape Health Science conference held at the very end of their stay. This was the fourth year of this program. The course is greatly facilitated by Dr.Daniel Kayongo of the UNITRA Faculty of Health Sciences. Dr Mulder has also opened the possibility for medical students to do some of their clinical rotations at UNITRA/Umtata General Hospital.
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Tufts New England Medical Center (NEMC)/Africa Centre
In September, Dr. Michael Bennish, a Professor of Medicine at Tufts University, and Director of the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies (a collaboration the University of Natal and the Medical Reseach Council of South Africa) invited Dr. Kayongo to visit the facility and discuss possible collaborations. Ongoing communication has been established, and Dr. Kayongo will pursue various areas of interest.
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| Departmental Partnerships |
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AIDS Bureau Delegation to the Eastern Cape
AIDS Bureau staff have been invited by the Eastern Cape HIV/AIDS Directorate to participate in a series of trainings, meetings, and site visits designed to identify priority areas of collaboration. The two-week visit, taking place in November, will result in the development of an ongoing capacity building initiative designed to strengthen the Directorate's ability to manage HIV/AIDS related health care delivery.
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World AIDS Fund Proposal
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health AIDS Bureau provided technical support to the University of Transkei for its successful proposal submission to the World AIDS Foundation. The grant will allow the University to conduct a pilot project designed to mitigate the spread of HIV through community-based prevention education and to improve community-based care provided to persons with AIDS.
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| NGO Partnerships |
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Codman Square Health Center- Masimanyane Women's Support Centre
Codman Square and Masimanyane have submitted a joint proposal to the US Department of State for support of their ongoing exchange program. Areas of focus include:
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the establishment of a technology center at Masimanyane;
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development of an in-service training curriculum that focuses on the links between domestic violence and HIV/AIDS;
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development of a business plan for a micro-enterprise project
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In November, Codman Square will send three staff members to Masimanyane as part of the ongoing training and technical assistance process.
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Cambridge Health Alliance - Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex
Dr. Hilary Worthen of the Cambridge Health Alliance (a Havard Medical
School teaching hospital) is leading an effort to establish an ongoing
partnership between his hospital and the Port Elizabeth Health Complex,
established through the merging of three hospitals in the Eastern Cape. Dr.
Alan Drabkin will be visiting Port Elizabeth in December to further explore
details and possibilities of partnership ventures between the two institutions.
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Center for Community Health Education, Research, and Service - Community Higher Education Service Partnership Collaboration
The Center for Community Health Education, Research, and Service (CCHERS), based in Boston and Community-Higher Education Service Partnership (CHESP), in Umtata, are focused on improving health professions education, community health development and health services research. The two organizations are exploring the establishing of a formal partnership based on their shared interest.
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Massachusetts - South Africa Health Task Force Members
Howard K. Koh, MD, Chair
Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
John Cunningham, PhD
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Tony Earls, MD
Harvard University School of Medicine
Lynn Eckhert, MD
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Elmer Freeman
Center for Community Health Education Research and Service (CCHERS)
Anna Faith Jones
Director Emeritus, The Boston Foundation
Paul Jacobsen
Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Temba Maqubela
South Africa Partners
Representative Byron Rushing
Massachusetts House of Representatives
Valerie Stone, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
William Walczack
Codman Square Health Center
Marti Wilson-Taylor
Boston YWCA
Hilary Worthen, MD
Cambridge Health Alliance
Send feedback to South Africa Partners at: info@sapartners.org
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