Southern Ethiopia - Gwent Health Link

Venue: Education Centre, Nevill Hall Hospital

Present

Jane Herve, Paul Clyburn, Alan Terry, Pam Powell, Peter Smith, Lynn McDonnell, Denise Lewis, Sandy Holt – Wilson, Michelle Hall, Robyn Phillips, Peter Sampson (Chair), Peter Dale, Melrose East, Liz Waters, Biku Ghosh

Apologies

Paul Wiener, Carole Garrick, Robert Williams, Dave Williams, Jo Keen , Taz Hussain, Grace Thomas

Minutes of last meeting

Minutes of last meeting were agreed as an accurate record

Matters arising

• Wales for Africa health Links Group – Nothing more to report on the proposal written by the three main links in Wales aiming to seek more sustainable funding as a larger group. Now looking for different sources of funding eg Dfid, lottery etc. As Biku is chairing this group Melrose was elected as our link’s representative for the Wales for Afica Health Links Group.
• THET e bulletin, circulated on a monthly basis, is proving to be very useful.
• Congratulations to Melrose whose entry into the story competition for THET won second prize - £500.
• An application has been sent to THET for funding ‘Evaluation of link activities in Ethiopia’. Paper has been written by Biku, Robyn, Carole and Melrose. Particular thanks to Robyn.
• Robyn attended an Open University meeting in Milton Keynes with THET on links in December. The Open University has prepared a lot of materials for developing countries especially India. The materials currently available are probably a little more sophisticated than we need for our use in Ethiopia but the day proved to be useful.
• Application for further funding from WAG has been submitted and interviews will take place next Tuesday, January 15th. Biku, Carole and Robyn will present on behalf of the link.

Community Link

Alan gave an outline of the work of the community group following Bryna Cwm visiting teams return from Ethiopia. The community group have been communicating with the Mayor of Yirgacheffe who has sent a list of requests with the priority being to improve the water supply at a cost of about £32,000. Unfortunately this is beyond the means of the community link. The group is in its infancy and so priority must be to smaller projects. Currently links are being forged with local schools. Three schools in Yirgacheffe are linked with three schools in Abergavenny. It is now up to these schools to further develop their links. Alan was disappointed however with the lack of meaningful communication he has been able to achieve so far with King Henry School in Abergavenny. Sandy felt that the schools link was a very important one and offered to help via contacts in Rotary. Next meeting of the community link will be on January 21st. There is a need to develop a structure and prioritise their aims.

Exemplar Health Centres

The health centre and community at Wondogenet is supported by Safe Hands for Mothers whose director is Nancy Durrell McKenna. Biku will be hoping to meet with Nancy later in January.

Biku has asked staff in the three health centres supported by the link, Yirgacheffe, Wondogenet and Alaba, to arrange a meeting with their local community groups to identify their needs and to develop a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’. Joint meetings will be held when the link team visit in March. Misagannw has been asked to liase with these health centres and encourage these meetings.

THET has an opportunity to apply for lottery funding. Cheltenham/ Sierra Leone, Kings College/Somaliland, Birmingham?Malawi and our link are currently undertaking similar projects and a meeting is being held in Cheltenham to find some common ground on which a joint application can be prepared for funding. Biku and Carole to attend.

Visit in March 2008

Visit is planned for February 29th – March 12th.

• Continuing professional education course for the laboratory scientists working in health centres and hospitals. This will be 4-5 day workshop for 35-40 people run in Hwassa hospital by Dave Williams and Misganaw. Pam and Peter will also provide support. They will also be visiting the 3 health centres to identify their laboratory needs. Misgannw has also requested books.
• Return visit to the health centres by Biku, Robyn, Melrose and Vishnu as well as Michelle and Peter to strengthen links, identify further needs, on site teaching and complete baseline evaluations.

AOB 

Denise, from occupational health NNH, has a special interest in travel medicine and would like to support staff travelling with the link. Staff may be able to access occupational health for vaccinations and malaria tablets etc. Denise suggested that some members may require debriefing on return. Denise can be contacted on Ext 2849. Alan asked if this would be available to the community group as well. As numbers would be small Biku will discuss with the consultant in occupational health. Denise was thanked for her support.

Lynne, a clinical psychologist working in the Trust, also offered her support via training. Biku suggested that psychological support would be extremely useful as there are no psychologists in Ethiopia. The Kindu Trust work with orphans in the Gondar region. Lynne was thanked for her support.

Jane Herve reported that Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Cardiff and Vale is currently working with RCOG on developing training programmes for Africa. Biku stated that as Chair of the Wales for Africa Link Group, he will be writing to all professional bodies in Wales inviting them to be represented on the group.

The Institutional Link - Cardiff University and Hwassa University is progressing well. 4-5 representatives from Cardiff University will be visiting Hwassa again in mid February. Dr Yifru is setting up a research group with the aim of identifying and refining research proposals. Cardiff will provide a workshop on research methodologies and then Dr Yifru can search for funding. They will also be visiting in May as examiners for the final exams in Hwassa.

More fundraising activities are required. Encourage more funding via payroll giving. A Ceilidh and Curry night will be held on ?20 June, 2008 in St Mary’s Church Hall in Abergavenny. Further information to follow.

Peter Dale asked if medical students requesting to visit Ethiopia for their elective will be supported by the link. The link agreed.

NEXT MEETING AND AGM
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21ST , EDUCATION CENTRE, NEVILL HALL HOSPITAL