If you are planning on volunteering overseas on a Link programme for 7 to 24 months before March 2011, or have volunteered for 7 to 24 months since April 2008, you may be eligible for assistance with your pension contributions.

You will need to return to public sector employment for at least six months after returning to be a part of the scheme.

Find out more on the VSO website or contact Rachel Schofield (rach@thet.org) for more information and an application form.

East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham
4th November 2010, 9.30-16.30

A platform for learning from the experiences of practitioners, the UK Health Links Conference 2010 will explore good practice in health and development, examine the innovative ways in which Links are addressing the challenges in global health and look at the benefits of linking to UK health professionals.

Highlights

• Setting the UK and global context of partnerships
• Explore the UK benefits of Links
• Share and learn with case studies sessions
• Discover how Links are developing innovative approaches
• Network and meet like-minded global health professionals

Book your place now!

To register download the registration form or email info@thet.org.
Registration fees are £25 (£15 for students). Register early before 1st August 2010 and pay only £20 (£10 students).

With thanks to the Garfield Weston Foundation

THET welcomes DFID’s announcement of a new £5 million Health Systems Partnership Fund which will enable more British health professionals to share their skills with midwives, nurses and doctors in developing countries through teaching, training and practical assistance.

The Fund will build on existing initiatives including the ‘International Health Links Funding Scheme’, which has already given out over 30 grants to support long term institutional partnerships between UK organisations and their ‘Links’ in the developing world.   We believe that it has the potential not only to improve health outcomes in the developing world, but also to strengthen the reputation of the UK health sector for outward looking, innovative work whilst seeking to train and grow our own health professionals through experiences both within and outside the UK.

UK health sector professionals have a proud history of engaging with colleagues in resource-constrained environments to identify innovative ways of transferring skills and improve quality of care.  Multi-disciplinary Links such as the Kings-THET-Somaliland Partnership contribute to a growing body of evidence which supports the thesis that long term institutional partnerships between UK organisations and their counterparts in developing countries can provide much needed structure and resources to channel individual initiative in ways that are more effective, sustainable and accountable to beneficiaries and donors.  Increasingly, training and practical assistance have been integrated within the context of broader health systems and in line with long term national development plans.

The government’s renewed commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality rates is also welcome, and particularly in the broader context of health systems strengthening designed to improve the health of vulnerable populations.  The Health Systems Partnership Fund has the potential to amplify existing initiatives aimed at reducing maternal and child deaths, as well as encourage new holistic programmes, designed with partners to improve public and medical education, access to services and delivery of care.

-Ends-

Notes to the Editor:

1. THET is an international health charity committed to improving health services in developing countries through strengthening long-term capacity. Based in the UK, we have over twenty years experience working with health institutions around the world, promoting action that is effective, sustainable and responsive. For more information please visit www.thet.org.
2. International Health Links Funding Scheme is jointly managed by THET and the British Council, and provides grants and support to health institutions across the UK, working with partners in more than ten of the world’s poorest countries across Africa and Asia.  It is jointly funded by the UK Department for International Development (DfID) and the Department of Health (DH): http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-healthlinks.htm
3. NHS Framework on International Development has been developed to provide greater clarity on how NHS agencies and individuals can best maximise their potential to contribute in a sustainable and appropriate way to capacity-building in developing countries. For more information on this Framework please visit http://www.ihlc.org.uk/Framework/framework.htm
4. For examples of ‘Health Links’ which have undertaken specific activities to support maternal and child health, see examples such as the Gwent-Southern Ethiopia Health Link and the Kambia appeal on the THET database: www.thet.org

For more information about THET and Health Links please contact Rachel Schofield on +44 (0)20 7290 3892, or by email at rach@thet.org .

Chronic and non-communicable diseases, for example hypertension, stroke and diabetes, have become significant health problems in Ghana. Indeed, stroke disease is now in the top five causes of death in nationally (6% of all deaths; preceded by HIV/AIDS, malaria, lower respiratory infections and perinatal conditions). In the Greater Accra region, it is believed that stroke is now the second largest cause of death, preceded only by malaria.  Stroke therefore causes significant burden to patients, their families, healthcare professionals, health services and wider society.

Having previously worked in Ghana and experienced such problems first hand, Dr Claire Spice (Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust) and Dr Hetty Asare (Ridge Hospital, Accra) planned the first stage of a co-operative developmental initiative between Ghanaian and UK health services. Over the past 2 years, a project group within the Wessex Region has been established, and in March 2009 a multidisciplinary team from this group made an initial visit to Ghana.  During this visit the team collaborated with colleagues in Accra to review local services for people with stroke, assist with service planning and provide multidisciplinary education and training through both formal workshops and practical case-based problem solving.  The various meetings and workshops resulted in an agreement by senior staff to establish West Africa’s first stroke unit. 

It is hoped that ongoing collaboration, including further visits and reciprocal visits by Ghanaian professionals to the UK, will help to support future developments and lead to sustained change.

Fields of work

Nursing
Therapies

Current Activities

The Link is currently planning a second visit to Accra – it is hoped that this will take place in Autumn 2010.  During the first year of this project (2008/09), activities focused on laying the foundations for establishing the Link, including an initial scoping visit to Accra.  In the coming year, we hope to take this forward with a second follow up visit to Accra. The main aim of this second visit is to identify the priority needs for core stroke care development and to jointly agree a written action plan, including formalisation and agreement of responsibilities of each project partner.

It is also hoped that one member of the group (the therapist) will remain in Ghana for an extended period of time, during which she will work within the hospital and therapy departments to support the development of care in these priority areas.

 We have been awarded an International Health Links Funding Scheme Small Grant (£3000) as well as a British Medical Association Humanitarian Fund Grant (£1800) which will support this visit, and are in the process of exploring other avenues for further funding. 

In addition, we are building publicity and awareness of the Link both locally and nationally.  This has included the sharing of our experiences so far at various forums, including the Wessex International Group and the UK Stroke Forum (poster presentation in December 2009). 

Link Requests

Financial support for future visits.

Contact Details

UK

Dr Claire Spice
Consultant Physician, Medicine for Older People

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill, Cosham, PO6 3LY
02392 286 923
claire.spice@porthosp.nhs.uk

Ghana

Dr Hetty Asare
Physician Specialist

Ridge Regional Hospital
Castle Road
Ridge
Accra, GHANA

Dr Albert Akpalu
Consultant Neurologist

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
Guggisberg Ave
Korle Gonno
Accra, GHANA

http://southernstrokeforum.org/ghana.html

It was initiated in February 2008 when Jane Hutt, then Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Education, visited TOCIDA (Tororo Community Development Action) project, in the Tororo district of Uganda.  She committed herself to the establishment of a link with the Vale of Glamorgan and invited Dr Maureen Owor (then a PhD student studying Law at Bristol University), whose family set up TOCIDA, to make the initial Link.  The Link was awarded a small start up grant by the UN Goldstar  initiative in Wales.

Fields of work

Ophthalmology

Library Resources

Current activities

Two members of the SAFE Foundation (www.thesafefoundation.co.uk) visited Tororo and with Maureen’s help identified the needs of TOCIDA.  Their priorities are health and education.  There is a desperate need for support of the Library and a list of required books has been drawn up with colleagues in Tororo, as a starting point.  Maureen has also established that there is a priority need for help with eye problems.  An optometrist and ophthalmologist with experience of eye problems and preventable blindness in Africa have been identified and agreed to join the Link.

A core group of about 10 people has met regularly over the past 2 years.  This core group is composed of all sections of the Vale of Glamorgan community.

Additional information

In terms of governance, a core committee of which Steve Tomlinson is the interim Chairman, has been established.  There is a draft constitution and plans are in place to be formally constituted, have an AGM and elect Officers and Trustees designate, with a view to charity status.  A public launch of the Link will take place in the Vale on 21 May 2010.  There are good communications with TOCIDA and a bank account has been opened in the UK and funds already successfully transferred to support the purchase of library books.

Link requests

As far as the link is concerned, the sponsorship of the Library for TOCIDA includes raising funds to equip the library with books on the Ugandan National Curriculum, for use by the school children using the library.  Also, the cost of training support for a librarian.  In addition, funds are required to support the visit to TOCIDA to identify ophthalmology clinical needs, and to fund equipment and clinical assistance at local level.

Contact information

Sue Bowyer
Constituency Office Manager/Senior Case Worker
Jane Hutt AM, 115 High Street, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan CF62 7DT
Susan.katina.bowyer@wales.gov.uk

Maureen Owor
mowor@yahoo.com

www.vale4africa.co.uk