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Knowledge Hub Newswire - Vol.4 No.16 (Fall 2009)

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Snapshot

These statistics reflect the Regional Knowledge Hub's activities from its inception in March 2004 through November 2009

  • Knowledge Hub courses held: 222
  • Healthcare professionals trained: 5444
    • Russia: 2613
    • Ukraine: 2168
    • Belarus: 137
    • Uzbekistan: 153
    • Moldova: 92
    • Kazakhstan: 77
    • Kyrgyzstan: 63
    • Azerbaijan: 56
    • Tajikistan: 56
    • Estonia: 29

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

  • Ukrainian: 294
  • Russian: 50

The Knowledge Hub offers more than 40 courses on a broad range of HIV-related care and treatment topics.

Eight new and/or updated courses were developed in 2008-2009 and posted on the Knowledge Hub's web site in November 2009. These include:

New Courses:

  • Integrated Approach in Treatment and Management of HIV/TB/Hepatitis Co-Infection in Substance Users
  • Three-Step HIV/AIDS Program for Nurses
  • Case Management: Patients Adherence to ART (for social and medical workers)
  • Integrated Care Model for PLWHA
  • Training-of-Trainers Course: HIV/AIDS for Social Workers
  • Support of Sexual and Reproductive Health in People Living with HIV

Updated Courses:

  • Advanced Pediatric ART and Management of Opportunistic Infections
  • PMTCT

Six additional courses will be available on the Knowledge Hub's Web site in January 1, 2010, including:

New Courses:

  • Organ and System Complications in Patients with HIV-Infection
  • Laboratory Diagnostics of Opportunistic infections and Monitoring of HIV Treatment Quality
  • Viral Hepatitis C and B and HIV: Management Strategies for Co-infected Patients

Updated Courses:

  • Advanced Adult ART
  • HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care for Injecting Drug Users
  • Management of HIV and TB Co-Infection

Ten of these courses have been developed with support from the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Knowledge Hub Calendar

The following trainings are scheduled to take place at the Knowledge Hub or affiliated centers
December 2009 - February 2010

December 2009
ART On-site Mentoring for Infectious Disease Physicians, St. Petersburg, Russia

The last group of infectious disease specialists from primary care settings in St. Petersburg who were trained by AIHA on initiation of ART and advanced ART in adults will attend a two-day skills strengthening mentoring program at the City AIDS Center and complete the three-step educational program.

February 2010
On-site Mentoring for Multidisciplinary Care Teams, St. Petersburg, Russia

The first multidisciplinary team of infectious disease physicians, TB doctors, and narcologists will start their on-site clinical program to sharpen their practical skills for the provision of integrated services for PLWH suffering from drug addiction and co-morbidities. The training will focus on practical issues related to effective information exchange, early diagnostics of co-morbidities, adherence, case management, and collaboration with NGOs and peer educators.

February 2010
Clinical Mentoring for Central Asian Physicians and Postgraduate Medical Faculty, St. Petersburg, Russia; Kyiv and Odessa, Ukraine.

Eighteen physicians from Central Asia will attend a two-week clinical training at Knowledge Hub-affiliated clinical centers of excellence in, Kyiv, Odessa, and St. Petersburg. The participants, who represent healthcare and medical education institutions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, were selected by Knowledge Hub clinical experts from Russia and Ukraine. Clinical trainings will focus on various aspects of diagnosis and management of opportunistic infections, pediatric and adult ART, and the role of community-based organizations in caring for PLWH. The training is being conducted through the "Development of the Regional Central Asian Training Center on HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment, and Support for PLWHIV in Tashkent, Uzbekistan" Project with support from the Central Asian AIDS Control Project, World Bank, USAID, and AIHA.

February 2010
HIV/AIDS Learning Resource Center Training for Information Coordinators, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

In preparation for the opening of the Regional Training Center in Tashkent, teams from Republican AIDS Centers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will attend three-day training in Tashkent. Each team includes an information coordinator, a specialist on evidence-based medicine, and a representative from a PLWH group. These individuals will work at the HIV/AIDS Resource Centers that will be established at each Republican AIDS Center. This training is being conducted through the "Development of the Regional Central Asian Training Center on HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment, and Support for PLWHIV in Tashkent, Uzbekistan" Project with support from the Central Asian AIDS Control Project and the World Bank.

Knowledge Hub in Review

These events were hosted by the Knowledge Hub or affiliated centers
in September - November, 2009

September 24-25, 2009
Consultation on the Development of a Network of WHO Collaborating Centers, Knowledge Hubs and Technical Partners on HIV/AIDS, Geneva, Switzerland

Three Knowledge Hub representatives participated in the two-day meeting "Consultation on the Development of a Network of WHO Collaborating Centers, Knowledge Hubs and Technical Partners on HIV/AIDS" organized by WHO. Topics discussed include strategies for improving collaboration among agencies working in similar fields related to the provision of treatment, care, and support for PLWH.

September 28, 2009
Working Meeting of WHO and Knowledge Hub Regional Experts on HIV/AIDS, St. Petersburg, Russia

At this meeting, representatives from the WHO, AIHA, KH international and regional experts from Russia, Central Asia discussed new KH strategies and approaches in response to HIV epidemic and reviewed newly developed training courses.

October 1, 2009
Technical Assistance Contract Signed by the American International Health Alliance and Regional Knowledge Hub with the Central Asian AIDS Control Project, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

AIHA and the Knowledge Hub entered into a contract to provide technical assistance for the development of the Regional Central Asian Training Center on HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment, and Support for PLWHIV in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The new Regional Training Center will improve the quality of care available to PLWH in Central Asia by building human resource and institutional capacity. Key priorities are providing ongoing education and training opportunities, as well as access to up-to-date information and evidence-based resources, which collectively will increase the professional level of healthcare providers and representatives of PLWH community involved in care and support.

October 27, 2009
First Steering Committee Meeting for the Regional Central Asian Training Center on HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment, and Support for PLWHIV in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Moscow, Russia

Representatives of the Uzbek Ministry of Health, TashIPME, the Republican AIDS Centers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, the Association of PLWH in Central Asia, WHO, AIHA, the Central Asian AIDS Control Project, and key Knowledge Hub partner institutions in Kyiv and St. Petersburg, met to define basic strategic directions for the new center's activities.

October 28, 2009
Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony, Moscow, Russia

Officials from the Central Asian AIDS Control Project; the Republican or National AIDS Centers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; and AIHA signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their collaboration on the development of the Regional Central Asian Training Center on HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment, and Support for PLWHIV in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.



October 28-30, 2009
The III Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference (EECAAC), Moscow, Russia

AIHA presented innovative approaches to HIV capacity development and extensive information on the services, experiences, and results of the Regional Knowledge Hub for the Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS in Eurasia at this event. Conference activities included:

  • Satellite Session "Improving quality in the Era of scale-up: The HIV Knowledge Hub Approach to Technical Assistance and Training" - AIHA Regional Director for Russia, together with senior Knowledge Hub advisor and faculty, made a presentation titled, "Practice Assessment and Mentoring Approach for Quality Improvement by the Knowledge Hub for Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS"
  • Poster Presentation - AIHA Regional Director for Russia made a presentation titled, "Contribution of American International Health Alliance and the AIDS Training and Education Center (St. Petersburg, Russia) to HIV/AIDS Capacity Building in Central Asia"
  • Joint Knowledge Hub Exhibit - In collaboration with two other knowledge hubs, the Regional Knowledge Hub for the Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS in Eurasia participated in the conference exhibition, distributing some 200 CDs with KH courses and supporting materials, 146 Course Guide Booklets, and 325 informational brochures 

October 30, 2009
Joint Regional Knowledge Hub Meeting, Moscow, Russia

Representatives of three WHO-supported Knowledge Hubs - the Regional Knowledge Hub for the Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS in Eurasia, the Harm Reduction Knowledge Hub, and Knowledge Hub on HIV Surveillance - met with officials from WHO and GTZ to discuss strategic development and ways of improving cooperation among the three Knowledge Hubs, as well as the development of joint Web site and participation at the 2010 XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.

 

TRAININGS

RUSSIA

September 7-11, 2009
Advanced Adult ART and Management of Opportunistic Infections Trainings, St. Petersburg

This five-day seminar completed a series of advanced trainings on ART for adults for primary level infectious disease physicians who previously attended both an introductory ART course and clinical practicum. Advanced issues related to the provision of ART and management of opportunistic infections were discussed. To date, some 80 percent of primary level infectious disease physicians in St. Petersburg have completed the three-level training program that includes an introductory ART course, two-day clinical mentoring, and advanced ART course.

Pavlov State Medical University issued a government certificate to 50 infectious disease specialists from 16 districts of the city upon their completion of this three-level, 72-hour training program.

September 30 - October 2, 2009
ART in Women of Reproductive Age, St. Petersburg

AIHA conducted the first three-day advanced training on Reproductive Health for PLWH in St. Petersburg. A total of 37 specialists - mainly OB/GYNs and infectious disease physicians who provide care for HIV-positive pregnant women - were trained in reproductive health and family planning issues, as well as PMTCT and the specifics of providing ART to women of reproductive age.

September, 2009
End-of-Life Palliative Care, St. Petersburg

With AIHA's support, the second group of Sisters-of-Mercy from the faith-based organization "Charitable Fund Dyakoniya" and volunteers from the religious community of St. Petersburg started a 520-hour training program on medical issues related to palliative care at the St. Petersburg Pavlov Medical College. The training will enable them to contribute to the provision of care and support for PLWH.

UZBEKISTAN

October 25-31, 2009
Clinical Mentoring for Infectious Disease Physicians, Tashkent

A Russian HIV/AIDS expert from St. Petersburg visited the main medical institutions providing treatment and care to PLWH in Tashkent and provided clinical mentoring on HIV/AIDS treatment and related issues to 11 infectious disease specialists from the Republican AIDS Center and Research Institute of Virology. 

November 7-12, 2009
Clinical Mentoring to Physicians Providing Treatment and Care to HIV-positive Children, Tashkent

Dr. Svitlana Komar, a Ukrainian HIV/AIDS expert, visited a number of medical institutions that provide treatment and care to children living with HIV in Tashkent and provided clinical mentoring on the management of pediatric ART to 21 specialists from the Republican AIDS Center, the Research Institute of Virology, and the Pediatric Center.

For more information on this section please visit
www.aidsknowledgehub.org > What the Knowledge Hub does > Training Courses, or follow the link:
www.aidsknowledgehub.org/view/trainings/all.

 

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 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.