Conclude the face activities of the Program in International Health Leaders 'Edmundo Granda Ugalde' 2010

From 29 April to 8 May, the Leaders in International Health Program ‘Edmundo Granda Ugalde’ (LIHP) 2010 conducted a series of virtual and interactive activities in relation to its second educational module in the cities of Havana, Cuba and Panama City, Panama.

In Cuba, and in conjunction with Dr. Nestor Marimón, Director of International Relations of the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba; Dr. Lea Guido, PAHO/WHO Representative in Cuba; and Dr. Eduardo Guerrero Espinel and Ms. Annella Auer, LIHP Coordinators, the coordinators of the Cuban Medical Brigades who are participants in the LIHP 2010 began discussions regarding the conceptual model of international health developed by the LIHP and presented their proposals for the development of their international health country projects.In Cuba, and in conjunction with Dr. Nestor Marimón, Director of International Relations of the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba; Dr. Lea Guido, PAHO/WHO Representative in Cuba; and Dr. Eduardo Guerrero Espinel and Ms. Annella Auer, LIHP Coordinators, the coordinators of the Cuban Medical Brigades who are participants in the LIHP 2010 began discussions regarding the conceptual model of international health developed by the LIHP and presented their proposals for the development of their international health country projects.

Beginning on 3 May, the 37 participants of the LIHP 2010 regional cohort, representing 22 countries in the Region, participated in the educational module in Panama. They were accompanied in the meeting by the LIHP Coordinators as well as, virtually from Cuba, the 20 participants from the Cuban Medical Brigades. During their discussions, the participants explored more in depth the conceptual model of international health, its forces and components, its relation with health and development in the Americas Region, and its application to their country projects.

The country project is the applied portion of the Program, in which the participants identify and analyze a particular public health problem or situation in their country, sub-region or region from an international health perspective; delve more deeply into their commitments and international determinants; and propose solutions or actions that contribute to the resolution or improvement of the situation by giving preference to those matters that require collaboration as well as intersectoral and/or supra-national agreements. These projects are developed in coordination with the PAHO/WHO Country Offices and national authorities in the participants’ countries of residence. In the case of the Cuban Medical Brigades, the projects are developed under the supervision of the national authorities and PAHO/WHO Country Office in the country where they are currently completing their mission as well as the Cuban authorities responsible for the initiative.

Upon completion of the onsite activities in Panama and Cuba, and after having refined their project proposals in terms of its conceptualization, methodology and relevance, and with the support of specialized mentors, the participants returned to their countries to continue with the development of their work under the direct guidance of the PAHO/WHO Country Offices, who are closely following this training initiative. The ability to carry out onsite, interactive activities simultaneously in two places is made possible thanks to the opportunities offered by the Virtual Campus for Public Health and the tool, Elluminate.