IMPLEMENTING THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC PROJECT ON ISSUES OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE

The urgent issue for Ukraine is to form the new model for public health system, for which our country shall be ready. First of all, in order to satisfy the potential need in the corresponding specialists with complex knowledge and experience, including in the sphere of provision with stable rendering the integrated gender-sensitive services on contraction to HIV/AIDS.
It should be mentioned that in the context of reform in public health care Ukraine now performs the actions for further priority development of primary medical aid and training of staff, prevention and control over non-infectious and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, readiness for outbreaks of highly pathogenic diseases, as well as implementation of International medical sanitary rules, propagation of healthy lifestyle, definition of main determinants for health and problems in the sphere of health care in the country. Ukraine shall build the stable and efficient public health care, being capable operatively and adequately reacting to challenges of today, in particular, through implementation of modern tools for improvement of system for epidemiological supervision and operative management for activity in industry, including use of information communication systems, developments and implementation of modern training programs for provision with development of public health system in Ukraine.
That’s why, since April, 2016 O.O. Bohomolets National medical university performs the international project under direction “Development of certified educational program in the sphere of public health care”, within implementation of USAID Project “Reform of HIV-services in effect” under support of Deloitte Consulting Overseas Projects LLС, together with PO “Ukrainian center of family medicine”, California University (San-Francisco, USA) and in cooperation with MHC, WHO, SE “Ukrainian center of control for social dangerous diseases, Ministry of health care of Ukraine, national public organizations and specialists in direction of public health, who are ready to provide with expert and technical support, to cooperate and to involve the necessary consultants for Implementation of this project.
USAID Project “Reform of HIV-services in Effect” defined the development and implementation of educational program on public health care for system of continuous medical education. The key direction in activity within Task 3 in Project “Reform of HIV-services in Effect” is “the optimization and consolidation of human resources in health care for rendering the gender-sensitive services on contraction to HIV-infection/AIDS to the most sensitive groups of population that will assist to realization of operative and system changes of human resources in the sphere of public health care, including for stable rendering the integrated services in the sphere of HIV/AIDS at national and regional levels.
This educational program will provide with operative support for newly established sphere of public health in Ukraine and will assist to development of potential at educational establishments, training of staff with necessary skills of integrated contraction to HIV-infection/AIDS in Ukraine. It is previously planned that the target audience will be the attendants, who will work at public health centers in the future, and representatives from health care establishments, who will take part in provision with public health care. After finishing the study the attendants will receive the certificate after completion of cycle of thematic improvement and certificate of international project. Within the fulfillment of the project it is planned to perform the following tasks:
1. In cooperation with international university to provide with development of educational program in the sphere of public health care in the format of 1 month cycle for thematic improvement.
2. To implement the first stage in realization of educational course together with the international university-partner.
3. To develop the concept for complete institutionalization of educational course in the sphere of public health care and plan of further steps, for example, development of master program in the sphere of public health care or etc.
At present moment all planned events from the first three stages from previously formed seven stages for implementation of project were successfully performed. In June, 2016 during the meeting of rector in O.O. Bohomolets NMU, corresponding member in NAMS of Ukraine, professor Kateryna Amosova and representatives from California University, San-Francisco (USA) they concluded the Agreement about international cooperation between the main contractors under the project, which also anticipates the continuation of academic cooperation after completion of this project.
After performing the evaluative mission of needs and survey of members in work group of project by representatives from international university-partner they formed the composition of work group of teachers from Ukrainian side, which receives the additional training to teach the course. It is planned to hold the additional events for development of potential for teachers at O.O. Bohomolets NMU together with USAID Project “Reform of HIV-services in Effect” and team from California University, San-Francisco, USA, in order to support the academic departments of O.O. Bohomolets NMU, involved into development of program in the sphere of public health care, which have the previous working experience in international projects: department of infectious diseases, department of epidemiology, department of health care management, department of phthisiology and pulmonology and Ukrainian training center of family medicine before direct development of program. The plan for additional development of their study was approved. The task for performed situational analysis was to choose the teachers already with available experience and knowledge in certain directions in the sphere of public health care.
The joint work with international university-partner and national partners is directed to provide with additional study for teachers in educational divisions of O.O. Bohomolets NMU, involved into development of program (the seminars-trainings were held in Odessa and Lviv, as well as the meetings and consultations with representatives of university-partner) and their completion of check and adaptation of materials, provided by California University, San-Francisco. As a result they developed the first variant of materials for educational program and initial variant for four educational modules for cycle on thematic improvement in the sphere of public health care (TI) “Modern aspects of public health care” in English, namely:
Module 1. Introduction into public health, systems, policies, management and leadership.
Module 2. Biostatistics and epidemiology for specialists in the sphere of public health.
Module 3. Monitoring and assessment, use of data and informatics in the sphere of public health.
Module 4. Planning, implementation and assessment of programs.
During the second meeting of Coordination council of project on issues of public health, which was held on 9, August, 2016 on the base of NMU, they closely discussed the progress of project for development of cycle of thematic improvement in the sphere of public health, provided with the feedback and strategic management in implementation of educational cycle and provision with stability of educational programs and future for education in the sphere of public health in Ukraine. While discussing they made the accent on planning the study under direction of public health, proceeding from long-term, middle and short-term needs and actions. The implementation of cycle of TI on the base of National medical university will satisfy the short-term need in rapid training of specialists, who shall work at newly established public health center and in the perspective in its regional centers.
Starting since 29, August, 2016, together with the representatives from California University, San-Francisco, USA, the divisions of O.O. Bohomolets NMU and national partners will arrange the friendly academic contacts that concern both the development of program and teaching. Until the end of September, 2016 it is planned to complete the development of final variant for presentations, lectures and all necessary educational and information materials in all topics of classes that will be considered at the initial cycle of TI by teachers’ collective and experts of project. As a result, they should prepare the educational program for cycle of thematic improvement and form the following educational packages, namely: files with educational methodic materials for teachers, files with printed presentations and information hand-out of classes for attendants and package of information materials for attendants in electronic media, which are discussed and approved at all methodic meetings of work group according to work plan for implementation of project.
The performance of the first round – piloting the educational course of TI “Modern aspects of public health” is suggested in the form of full-time training during the period since 10 until 21, October and since 21, November until 2, December, 2016 on the base of educational scientific center – Ukrainian training center of family medicine (UTCFM) of O.O. Bohomolets NMU according to the work plan of UTCFM for 2016, being already approved by MHC of Ukraine.
It is planned further to perform the detailed analytical study on efficiency in pilot performance of educational course using the previously approved tools for assessment due to methodology of international universities-partners. After that they will prepare the final variant for full package of educational course – slides, materials of file for teachers, additional information methodic materials for attendants in hard and electronic copies, guideline for teachers, and educational program for cycle of thematic improvement and information booklet due to results from implementation of grant project. Due to results from completion of project they will generalize the conclusions and form the recommendations for further teaching and development of the course, which implementation will assist to formation and consolidation of development of human resources potential in newly established sphere of public health in Ukraine.

Ukrainian training center of family medicine at O.O. Bohomolets NMU