Health, Government of Sri Lanka stated that the take home message from
the three-week long program is that a combination of clinical
management, surveillance, prevention and information can help in
tackling the dengue epidemic. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, Director, AIT
Extension stated that organizing the program amidst the flood situation
in Thailand was nothing short of a miracle. However the final outcome
of the program depends on the participants, he added.
The program witnessed participation from 47 doctors, 19 nurses, 5
epidemiologists, 4 technicians, and 11 municipal officers. They were
joined by 19 policy makers, including Parliamentarians; Permanent
Secretaries of Health, Environment and Local Government; Director
General of Health Services; Principals and Heads of teaching hospitals,
journalists and representatives from NGOs. Mr. Syed Zafar Ali Shah,
Commercial Counsellor, Pakistan Embassy in Thailand also attended the
formal opening of the policy-maker’s workshop, which saw the AIT
President Prof. Said Irandoust delivering the inaugural address.
The three-week program had participants travelling to Department of
Public Health, Chiang Mai and Saraburi in Thailand, while another
cohort spent a week with the Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Sri
Lanka.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Suchitra Nimnannitaya, who
is credited with making the world's first breakthrough in the diagnosis
of dengue. Key officials who played a key role in the program included
Dr. Wichai Satimai, Director of the Bureau of Vector Bourne Diseases,
Ministry of Public Health Thailand, and Dr. Anuttarasakdi Ratchatatat
and Dr. Siriporn Yoongchaitrakul.
DEPCAM is a unique program that brings together a cross-sector,
multi-level cohort of clinical and auxiliary medical professionals and
healthcare managers, to equip them with skills to manage dengue and
other communicable disease. It was designed specifically on the request
of the Punjab Government, Pakistan following directions of the Chief
Minister Mr. Shahbaz Sharif. The program was supported by the Punjab
Resource Management Program (PRMP), a strategic partner of AIT
Extension.
According to Dr. Faiz Shah, Head, Development Management, AIT
Extension, DEPCAM is among the first specialized healthcare programs
offered by AIT where AIT worked closely with national health ministries
of Government of Thailand and Sri Lanka. “This is the first time a
single cohort of 117 diverse participants is attending a 3
credit-equivalent at the same time,” he added.
