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WMA gains funding to support TB training course
Pharma company Eli Lilly has increased an existing partnership with the World Medical Association (WMA) by granting c. 646,505 euros to expand online training courses for physicians on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which they have been developed over the past year.
The course aims to help physicians to more effectively diagnose, prevent and treat MDR-TB. Clinical guidelines were developed and harmonised with evidence-based material sourced from the WHO, International Council of Nurses and the International Hospital Federation.
The course was tested among physicians in South Africa.
The German Medical Association gave managerial support for the conception of the project, and the Norwegian Medical Association adapted the material to a web-based format and will provide CME credits to course participants.
The new four-year joint partnership agreement was signed in Geneva in May by Jacques Tapiero, president of Lilly’s intercontinental operations and WMA president Dr Jon Snaedal. ‘Given adequate healthcare infrastructure and adherence to proper medication regimens, MDR-TB is not only treatable, but indeed curable,’ said Jacques Tapiero. ‘This online training course is an important addition to the already existing tools and activities of a larger partnership of 16 public and private organisations worldwide dedicated to fighting MDR-TB.’
Dr Snaedal added that the course will now be made more interactive, with more case studies and a progressive learning pattern. ‘A TB refresher course is important to get physicians back on track regarding the basic knowledge of standard TB,’ he explained.
Currently in English, the online course is being translated into Spanish, French, Chinese and Russian. It will also be published in handbook and CD form.
FREE course access: www.WMA.net/
Or via the Norwegian Medical Association: http://lupin-nma.net/
This article was published on 07/01/2008