Kenya The mother of retired basketball legend Michael Jordan has partnered with Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) in the planning and development of a new 250-bed women and children's hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Delores Jordan, founder and president of the James R. Jordan Foundation, invited MSM to provide best practices and student intern staff for the hospital. Almost one year ago, 15 MSM alumni traveled to Nairobi to interact with hospital administrators and clinical staff to assess the facility's health care capacity. In November 2007, Kofi Kondwani, Ph.D., assistant professor Community Health and Preventive Medicine at MSM and newly appointed chair of the MSM Global Health Task Force, returned to Nairobi for further partnership collaborations. "One of the goals of the Global Health Task Force is to coordinate MSM activities that exemplify our commitment to improve health outcomes in Africa," said Kondwani. Eve J. Higginbotham, M.D., dean and senior vice president for Academic Affairs for MSM issued the charge for the development of the task force. "MSM, a leader in international medicine, developed the Global Health Task Force to foster positive health outcomes, cultivate a greater global perspective, and incorporate global health competencies into our student's education. We achieve this through partnerships with medical institutions and professionals throughout the international community," stated Higginbotham. Ghana Two MSM faculty members recently traveled to Ghana on a medical mission. Denise Bell-Carter, M.D., assistant professor of Family Medicine, and Ronald Braithwaite, Ph.D., professor of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, joined colleagues from the Metro Atlanta Neurosurgery Foundation's (MANF) Adopt A Village program for the trip. Clinical treatment was provided over a three-day period to more than 150 patients in the Prampram area of Ghana. Health concerns ranged from hypertension to chronic pain. The clinicians and a Ghanaian pharmacist administered medications provided by MANF from Medical Assistance Program (MAP) International. Braithwaite provided leadership for a Rapid HIV testing program. Seventy-five local health center clients were tested for HIV. Two new positive cases were identified and a third person was confirmed to have the virus. With the assistance of local interpreters, Braithwaite conducted pre- and post-test counseling for the patients. A Ghanaian delegation from KNUST visited MSM Aug. 31, 2007, to discuss the possibility for MSM students to study and practice at KNUST. Following the visit to Prampram, the group traveled to Kumasi, Ghana at the invitation of Dr. Tsiri Agbenyega, dean of the Medical School at the Kwame Nkrumah University for Science and Technology (KNUST), where Braithwaite lectured to 150 medical and health science students. "The linkage between the MANF, the Prampram community, KNUST, and MSM has great promise for setting the foundation for a MSM medical student elective in Ghana," said Braithwaite. MSM Donates Equipment A medical equipment transfer from MSM through Adopt A Village was made Nov. 30, 2007. The donation was sent for a recent medical mission. Lawrence Sanders, M.D., M.B.A., associate dean for Clinical Affairs, initiated the donation. The transfer was facilitated by Tony Collier, executive director of campus operations and capital resources, and Braithwaite. |
