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Knowledge Hub Newswire - Vol.3 No.12 (Spring 2008)

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Snapshot

These statistics reflect the Regional Knowledge Hub's activities from its inception in March 2004 through May 2008

  • Knowledge Hub courses held: 178
  • Healthcare professionals trained: 4317
    • Ukraine: 1755
    • Russia: 2051
    • Azerbaijan: 29
    • Estonia: 29
    • Kazakhstan: 83
    • Tajikistan: 24
    • Uzbekistan: 92
    • Moldova: 62
    • Belarus: 137
    • Kyrgyzstan: 55

Ukrainian physicians who have earned nationally recognized advanced professional certification in adult/adolescent or pediatric AIDS treatment through the Knowledge Hub: 171

Knowledge Hub Calendar

The following trainings are scheduled to take place at the Knowledge Hub or affiliated centers
June - August 2008

UKRAINE

June 23-27, 2008
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Adults for regional doctors, Kyiv

It is expected that 76 infection disease doctors will attend this course. Most of the trainees will be infection disease doctors from central rayon hospitals. Taking into account the National AIDS Center need to provide training to so many doctors as soon as possible and that this course is not a part of the serties of ART courses, the typical agenda for ART initiation course was slightly modified: topics on HIV staging and testing, stigma, HBV/HCV coinfection were incorporated into the agenda. The faculty will be composed of senior trainer (representative of Lavra AIDS Clinic) and 4 junior trainers who successfully completed AIDS Knowledge Hub ToT Course. 

July 7-11, 2008
Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Adults, Kyiv

This initial training on ART for multidisciplinary teams will be held at Lavra AIDS Clinic. Infection disease doctors, nurses and social workers will learn about HIV natural history, major ARV drugs and their entry points, indications for ART, its management and adherence promotion. Special section will be dedicated to treatment of women, IDUs and patients with TB/HIV co-infection.

July 14-18, 2008
Basics of ART in Adults Course, Kyiv

This new training course developed upon request of All-Ukraininan Network of PLWH is aimed to train infection disease doctors on basics of adult ART. Taking into account the urgent demand to train new doctors from AIDS centers, infection disease clinics and prison system, this 5-day course will incorporate all major elements of series of ART courses (Initiation, Onsite mentoring and Advanced ART). 34 MDs selected by National AIDS Center ad Prison Department will be invited to this course.

RUSSIA

June 16-20, 2008
Orenburg/Elmhurst Partnership Exchange Visit

As part of the exchange trip, 2 trainings will be provided - training on Adherence to ART, and Training on Palliative Care in HIV for Nurses.

June/July, 2008 (TBD)
Training on treatment of TB/HIV

To follow up on the partnership exchange to Elmhurst in February 2008 and the first clinical training on TB/HIV conducted in June 2007 in Orenburg, AIHA jointly with the TB oblast dispensary and Orenburg State Medical Academy will organize a second clinical training for TB and HIV specialists form Orenburg oblast on treatment of TB coinfection in HIV patients. The course curricula will cover clinical management of HIV patients coinfected with TB, TB diagnosis, highlights of TB and HIV drug interactions, and referrals to specialized care facilities for TB/HIV patients, including medical and social care. The course curricula follows WHO 2006 recommendations.

June/July 2008 (TBD)
Training on adherence to ART, St. Petersburg

Through the clinical sites of ATEC St. Petersburg, AIHA will pilot a new training on adherence to ART (regional curricula developed under Knowledge Hub initiative and piloted in other NIS countries with the participation of faculty from ATEC St. Petersburg). The training will also follow up on US and Russian partners' initiatives in FY07 to strengthen adherence to ART strategies in St. Petersburg. Faculty from the Yale AIDS Program, AIDS Center in St. Petersburg, Botkin clinic, ATEC/MAPS will co-teach the pilot course.

CENTRAL ASIA

June 9-20, 2008
On-site adult ART mentoring; Almaty, Bishkek, Dushanbe and Tashkent

In collaboration with Central Asia AIDS Control Project (CAAP), Knowledge Hub will conduct on-site adult ART mentoring at clinical sites in Almaty, Bishkek, Dushanbe and Tashkent as part of development of Regional Training Center on PLWH Care and Treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Knowledge Hub experts from Germany, Russia and Ukraine will conduct the mentoring.

Knowledge Hub in Review

These events were hosted by the Knowledge Hub or affiliated centers
from March to May 2008

TRAININGS:

UKRAINE

March 17-21, 2008
Advanced Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Children, Kyiv

The participants, 10 multidisciplinary care teams, who had completed two series of ART trainings in November 2007 (Initiation of Pediatric Antiretroviral Therapy) and in January 2008 (Pediatric ART Onsite Mentoring), took part in the Advanced Pediatric ART course. The trainings, organized with financial support from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine under the Global Fund Round 1 program, aimed to increase the participants' level of knowledge and clinical skills on pediatric ART. After successful completion of the series of pediatric ART courses 9 pediatricians received national certificates issued by the National Medical Academy of Post-graduate Education.

March 24-28, 2008
Advanced Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Adults, Kyiv


This updated advanced training course on adult ART and opportu­nis­tic infections was conducted for 39 participants. It is expected that im­proved knowledge on management of ART, its side effects, inter­ac­t­ions with other therapies, treatment of major opportunistic in­fec­ti­ons - will enable caregivers to provide professional assistance to HIV-infected patients who need ART. Training was conducted within Round 1 Global Fund program in Ukraine. After successful comple­ti­on of the series of adult ART courses 16 physicians received natio­nal certificates issued by the National Medical Academy of Post-graduate Education.

April 21-25, 2008
TB/HIV Co-infection Training, Kyiv

22 Doctors from Oblast AIDS Centers and their colleagues from Oblast TB dispensaries were in­vi­t­ed to participate in this course. The objective of the training was not only to provide trainees with essential information on Coordination of HIV-infection and TB control measures at the regional level; peculiarities of TB treatment in HIV positive patients etc., but also to facilitate cooperation between the two medical facilities. It is expected that this training will promote better reaviling of HIV-associ­a­ted tuberculosis and timely treatment of HIV positive patients with co-infection and help to decrease HIV-related stigma and discrimination at TB dispensaries. Training was conducted within Round 1 Global Fund program in Ukraine.

May 19-21, 2008
ToT in ART for Adults Training, Kyiv


13 doctors from Oblast AIDS Centers who had completed full series of ART training courses at Knowledge Hub and have had sufficient experience of ART management in HIV patients participated in this training. The experienced faculty consisted of the Ukrainian ART trainer and doctor from the USA. Trainees who successfully completed the TOT course will be involved in Knowledge Hub training activities as junior trainers.

BELARUS

April 14-18, 2008
PMTCT and ART for Pregnant Women and Children, Minsk

This course provided participants with the knowledge on core elements of PMTCT based on WHO latest protocols and national standards as well as management of pregnant women on ART, PMTCT to newborns whose HIV status is not confirmed and pediatric ART to children with HIV/AIDS. Topics included: ART and PMTCT, specifics of neonatal care to children born to HIV-positive mothers or mothers with unknown status, PMTCT for women addicted to drugs, ART regimens for pregnant women and pediatric ART, PMTCT program monitoring. The training course, funded by WHO, was facilitated by Ukrainian faculty.

RUSSIA

March 17 -21, 2008
Initial ART for adults, St. Petersburg

As part of AIHA's workplan to support scale up of ARV services in the city of St. Petersburg, AIHA conducted a training for 23 specialists (infectious disease specialists, an epidemiologist, a social worker, and a dentist) in St. Petersburg city district policlinics, utilizing the course on Initiation of ART in adults originally developed by AIHA and piloted through the St. Petersburg ATEC. This five-day course was held at the AIDS Center with faculty from the MAPS and AIDS Center.

March 24-27, 2008
Primary Care and Tolerance Building Workshop, Orenburg

This training for primary care providers was offered to 19 participants (MDs from Orenburg Oblast polyclinics, rayon hospitals, AIDS Center, Department of Corrections) from Central Orenburg region. Topics included epidemiological and clinical information on HIV, patient communication skills, identification of common OIs, attitudes toward PLWHA, stigma and discrimination issues, and infection control. Faculty from Orenburg Medical Academy, Oblast AIDS center and the Narcology dispensary co-taught the course.

April 10-15, 2008
Primary Care and Tolerance-Building Workshop, St. Petersburg

This was the fourth training on HIV in St.Petersburg. It was provided to 22 social workers of the Nevskiy district. Topics included epidemiological and clinical information on HIV, client communication skills, and attitudes toward PLWHA, stigma and discrimination issues. Faculty trained as trainers within Yale-St. Petersburg partnership, and AIHA staff has delivered the training.

April 14-18, 2008
Pediatric ART training, Ust' Izhora

Introductory Pediatric ART for HIV care teams (18 persons) from St. Peterburg, Orenburg, Togliatti and Saratov was conducted at the Republican Infectious Disease Hospital (Ust' Uzhora Clinical Center for Children and Women with HIV). It was taught by a multi-disciplinary team of Russian faculty utilizing an international standard curricula adapted for Russia. The lectures and clinical sessions within this course were based at WHO recommendations on ART for NIS and focused on team approach in HIV/AIDS care and treatment in children.

April 23-25, 2008
Primary Care and Tolerance-Building Workshop in Togliatti

Second three-day training for Community GPs was conducted by local experts in VCT, epidemiology and infectious diseases. The purpose of the training was to educate 20 community physicians about epidemiological situation on HIV in Togliatti, prepare them to work with HIV-infected patients and follow up with patients on ARV treatment. Community physicians supported Togliatti AIDS Center and Municipal Policlinics' efforts to provide treatment and care for PLWHA

May 19-23, 2008
Introductory ART, Eastern Orenburg region

As part of AIHA's workplan to support scale up of ARV services in the Orenburg region AIHA conducted the last in the series of trainings for 21 infectious disease specialists in the region, utilizing the course on Initiation of ART in adults originally developed by AIHA and piloted through the Information and Training Center at Orenburg Medical Academy together with the US partners in FY06. This five-day course was co-taught by local faculty from the Medical Academy and AIDS Center in Orenburg.

May 20-22, 2008
PMTCT training workshop, Orenburg Oblast

To follow up on the introductory training on PMTCT in Eastern Orenburg Oblast AIHA piloted an advanced clinical training for 27 specialists that completed the initial courses (health care workers who are PMTCT providers from Orenburg, Orsk, Novotroitsk and Gai). Faculty from the State Medical Academy in Orenburg and clinicians from the Oblast AIDS center and Oblast Clinical Hospital #2 co-taught the course, supported by AIHA consultant in OB/GYN practice for HIV deliveries from Odessa.

UZBEKISTAN

May 27-31, 2008
Initiation of Adult ART at Correctional Facilities, Kyiv


24 representatives of Uzbek prison system (MDs, nurses, feldshers, prison officers and psycholoists) participated in this introductive training course. The group learnt basics of ART and OIs management and had opportunity to examine patients and practie their counseling skills on patients of Lavra AIDS Clinic. They learned about specifics of ART provision to inmates in Ukraine. The best faculty from Ukraine and Belarus co-facilitated the course.

KAZAKHSTAN

May 19-23, 2008
Clinical Mentoring of Pediatric Advanced ART, Shimkent

Doctor and social worker from Ust-Izhora Childrens' Infectious Disease Hospital, Russian Federation, conducted this 5-day mentoring course for 23 participants from 4 oblasts of Kazakhstan, including Shimkent, Almaty, Karaganda, Temirtau. The multidisciplinary team included pediatrician, infection disease doctor, nurse and social worker. They participated in the Initiation of pediatric ART course, which was conducted in Ust-Izhora in early 2008. The current course topics under review were criteria for ART initiation, adherence promotion, ART monitoring and psychological support of children and their parents. The training was funded by Global Fund program in Kazakhstan.

 

CONFERENCES:

Second Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference
May 3-5, 2008 - Moscow, Russia

The Regional Knowledge Hub for the Care and Treatment of HIV /AIDS in Eurasia participated in the second regional AIDS conference and presented several posters on the Knowledge Hub and related HIV/AIDS programs. The Knowledge Hub on HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment together with Harm Reduction Knowledge Hub set up a booth at the conference exhibition that enabled conference participants to learn more about regional programs and receive the latest Russian language publications on HIV/AIDS, developed by the EurasiaHealth AIDS Knowledge Network.

 

HIV/AIDS Resources

USAID logo
Primary funding for EAKN is provided
by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)


Useful links to HIV/AIDS-related information and evidence-based research

The EurasiaHealth AIDS Knowledge Network (EAKN) is a special initiative to identify key resources related to the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS and adapt and translate them for use by health professionals in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The EAKN Library consists of a core set of textbooks and guidelines that have been developed by the world's leading experts on HIV/AIDS. As these materials are updated in English, EAKN updates the Russian-language versions maintained on its Web site. In addition to the core set of key documents, the EAKN Library includes a variety of HIV/AIDS information resources, including patient education materials, articles, and abstracts.

Among the most recently added or updated documents are:

  • The European Guidelines for the Clinical Management and Treatment of HIV Infected Adults in Europe has been posted online. Three panels of European experts established by the European AIDS Clinical Society produced a revised and extended version of the European Guidelines for the Clinical Management and Treatment of HIV Infected Adults in Europe in December 2007. http://www.eurasiahealth.org/aids/health/resources/99732/
  • Twelve article reviews, prepared by the Internet project MedMir.com, which is aimed to provide Russian speaking medical professionals with timely, comprehensive and relevant clinical information in the form of the Russian language summaries of clinical study reports published in the top world medical journals

The EAKN Library is continuing to translate various publications, reviews of the latest articles from the leading peer-reviewed magazines, and recent abstracts from medical conferences.

The book Clinical Aspects of HIV Infection, 2007 by J Bartlett, G. Gallant has been published in April of 2008.
http://www.eurasiahealth.org/eng/health/resources/82168

AIHA plans to begin translation of the book HIV Medicine 2008, by B. S. Kamps in Spring 2008. This comprehensive book is recommended for practicing healthcare workers from various specialties and for instructors at medical institutions of higher learning and advanced training faculties, as well as for all those providing health care to people living with HIV/AIDS. Currently AIHA has online the 2005 version of this book.

http://www.eurasiahealth.org/eng/health/resources/82169/