The 5th annual Internal Medicine symposium was held in Vientiane in March, 2008 and continues the tradition of successful CME activities.  Topics have included common adult diseases as well as training on the topics of epidemiology and Avian Influenza.  Through a collaborative effort among Lao teachers, residents, and Health Frontiers volunteers, the first Internal Medicine review book in Lao language was printed and was made available at annual conferences.

Partners

For For the academic year of 2006-2007, Health Frontiers received a generous grant from the World Health Organization to support Continuing Medical Education activities in Laos.  These funds supported CME conferences for both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, as well as additional conferences focusing on respiratory infections and particularly Avian Influenza.  The threat of Avian Influenza has highlighted the importance of dissemination of up-to-date medical information to doctors throughout the country.  Health Frontiers has also collaborated with WHO, USAID and the Wellcome Trust to improve ICU education and patient care in Vientiane.  Lao nurses and physicians who work in critical care units have received advanced training at Khon Kaen University and in Cambodia (see below) as part of this project.

Health Frontiers has also received generous funding from Oxiana to support Pediatric CME for a four year period.  Oxiana is proud to be a sponsor of the Lao Pediatric Workforce Training program in conjunction with the University of Melbourne Department of Pediatrics at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Oxiana is an international mining and exploration company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Oxiana’s operations include the Sepon gold and copper mines in Laos. Oxiana has a policy of supporting local communities and considers ourselves guests in each host nation in which we operate. This sponsorship is an excellent way for Oxiana to support the Lao community. The program will have an important role in sharing knowledge and improving skills with Lao doctors to support the future health and well-being of all Lao children.

As part of a collaborative project funded by WHO to improve critical care in Laos, four pediatricians will be receiving advanced training in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care at the Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia.  This collaboration developed out of recognition that the challenges of providing health care under limited resources are similar in both countries, and both Angkor Hospital and Health Frontiers strive to improve the care of children by augmenting the skills and knowledge of the local physicians.  Angkor Hospital provides training to a great number of Cambodian physicians and health care workers, and generously have extended their experience to join with HF in training Lao pediatricians as well.

The Royal Children’s Hospital continues to support the continuing professional development of Lao pediatricians.  Physicians Glenn Bowes, Gary Warne and others have contributed their time to teaching and development of CME opportunities, and medical education specialist Jenny Gough has attended CME conferences and assisted with the important evaluation process and planning of future conferences.  Collaboration with their institution is ongoing.  They have also spearheaded fundraising efforts which have contributed money to CME activities.