NEWSLETTER Newsletter Volume 29/no. 2/December 2012
Editorial A New Layout In this issue, among others:
As you will notice immediately this Newsletter is slightly different and thinner than the one you are used to.
• Site Visit Reports
We changed the concept of the Newsletter a little bit. After each conference you will have a “small” Newsletter, as a report of the last conference.
• Dr Carissa Etienne, WHO • New Logo & Website
Once a year, we will still have the normal Newsletter full of interesting stories of our members from all over the world! We also took the opportunity to introduce our new logo and colors. You can read more about this and also about our new website inside this issue! We hope that you all can relive the great Graz conference by reading about the site visits or the quotes of some of the attendees. And for those who weren’t there you can experience the atmosphere and hopefully be motivated to join us in Thunder Bay!
Enjoy your reading!
Julie Vanden Bulcke, Editor
In the Newsletter we refer to The Network: Towards Unity for Health as The Network: TUFH.
Message from the Secretary General
Contents
Institutional Membership is Essential
Message from the Secretary General Institutional Membership is Essential
2
Conference Report Summary of the 2011 conference
3
Annual International Conference Looking Back to Graz and Looking Forward to Thunder Bay
4
Site Visits Erzberg Mine 5 Country Hospital Stolzalpe: “Hospital at the Sun” 6 Rural GP Practice and Oil Mill in Western Styria 7
Great Stories from Great People Interview with Dr Carissa Etienne from WHO
8
What Did You Think about This Year’s Conference?
9
The Network: TUFH in Action The New Logo and Your Reactions
10
Introduction New Website
11
Member and Organisational News Grant Stella D’hont Members all over the World
12 12
In the previous newsletter, we described how The Network: Towards Unity for Health is networking with other organisations like FAIMER (Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research), with the “Global Consensus for Social Accountability of Medical Schools”, with THEnet (Training for Health Equity Network), GHETS (Global Health through Education, Training and Service) and with MEPI (Medical Education Partnership Initiative). At the recent conference in Graz, Austria, it became clear that a future role for The Network: Towards Unity for Health can be to serve as Prof. Dr. Jan De Maeseneer the hub where related initiatives can develop and flourish. The forthcoming annual conference of The Network: TUFH in Thunder Bay, Northern Ontario, Canada (October 9 -14, 2012) will bring together The Network: TUFH, WONCA-Rural, and lots of other organisations in “Rendez-Vous 2012: together and engaged”. The 2011 Graz-conference brought together 250 people from 40 countries worldwide and demonstrated that The Network: TUFH is alive and kicking and that there is a solid base of active people, groups and institutions. Moreover, the coincidence of the conference with the UN High Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases in New York, illustrated the strategic importance of The Network: TUFH. Together with allied organisations, The Network: TUFH has raised an innovative voice, resulting in a comment published in The Lancet on September 6th, 2011. We made clear that a vertical disease-oriented approach for non-communicable diseases is not appropriate and that the lessons learned from vertical approaches to infectious diseases should lead to a new strategy, putting into practice the World Health Assembly’s resolution EHA 62.12, urging member states “to encourage that vertical programs, including disease specific programs, are developed, integrated and implemented in the context of integrated primary health care”. From participants at the UN High Level Meeting in New York, we were informed that our voice was heard. If The Network: TUFH wants to continue to play this role as a hub and meeting point for different organisations, we have to strengthen our legitimacy by increasing institutional membership. Therefore the Executive Committee of The Network: TUFH decided in Graz to simplify the membership application procedures and to launch a campaign to increase institutional membership. If your institution (faculty, school, department, NGO, health systems organisation …) is not yet an institution member, take action immediately. The target is to double the number of institution members by the next meeting in Thunder Bay in October 2012! Go to the new website (www.the-networktufh.org), click on “Join us” and fill in the membership application form. The membership contribution depends on whether your institution is located in a low, middle or high income country. With your help and the engagement of your institution, we can enable The Network: TUFH to play its role in the future. Thank you so much. Jan De Maeseneer, MD, PhD, Secretary General The Network: TUFH E-mail: jan.demaeseneer@ugent.be
2
Conference Report Summary of the 2011 conference A statement made by Professor Dr Jan De Maeseneer for me summed up this year’s conference and indeed the culture which exists in all Network: Towards Unity for Health conferences: “Of the 250 delegates attending the conference this year over a hundred arrived as strangers but left as friends”. Forty countries were represented providing a rich variety of faiths, cultures, beliefs and values which were openly and frankly discussed in a safe environment, allowing delegates to learn not only from the wealth of experience shared in the formal sessions but also by chatting informally in refreshment breaks or community visits. It is this informal learning which often serves as the forum for what many have reflected as the “life changing experience” of the Network: TUFH conferences.
The morning began with a presentation from a newly qualified doctor from the Philippines. Owing to some confusion, she arrived just in time for her presentation. Many experienced speakers would have been flustered and taken a while to settle into the presentation, but Anna Sharmie Quezon was clearly not going to let a small timing error detract from the key messages she wanted to impart. She described highly competently her experience of working in a rural and remote village, and the impact that she herself, along with others, has managed to achieve in the health of the local community. She outlined how, when she had qualified, she had been criticised for returning to the community to work. Colleagues, family and well meaning friends had told her she was “too good” and “had too much to offer” to be stuck in a remote location and this choice would not be good for her career, but...she knew where she was most needed and indeed where health professionals across the world can make most impact, which is with individuals, families and communities wherever the setting. Anna’s presentation was then followed by a debate which included Anna, with experts from each continent of the world who collectively reviewed the recent Lancet paper “Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world”, in which The Network: TUFH is cited as one of the ‘best practices’. The audience was so moved by the debate that a statement was made from the conference delegates to the UN High Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases. The correspondence was received at the meeting and formed part of the discussion at this event. Delegates left the conference therefore feeling that in some small way they may have collectively made an impact on the debates taking place on an international stage. What more could be asked of an international conference?
This year the setting for the conference in Graz echoed the pride in culture and tradition, as a local festival was being held in the city centre at the start of the conference and people of all ages were dressed in traditional costumes and participated in a range of local and regional dances, thereby adding to the warmth, colour and charm which greeted conference delegates. The conference opening took advantage of its location and strong links with the World Health Organisation, as one of the first key notes was provided by Dr Carissa Etienne, Assistant Director General of the WHO. This helped to set the backdrop to health debates on a world stage which continued in the multitude of learning forums which the conference organisers have perfected over the years. These learning opportunities include key note speakers, didactic sessions, workshops, poster sessions, community trips (which are always a highlight of the conferences), student posters, task force meetings and presentations, opportunities to meet the editors of the The Network: TUFH journal, Education for Health, and regional member meetings. If that was not enough, there was an opportunity to suggest PEARL sessions where any delegate can indicate a topic they would like to discuss and, should enough people be interested, they can meet during the conference and debate the emerging themes on the chosen topic.
Professor Dawn Forman Chair of the Interprofessional Education Task Force Dawn remains the Executives’ European representative until the conference in 2012 but, as she has moved to Curtin University in Australia for three years, she will be stepping down at the next conference. Dawn can be contacted by email to Dawn.Forman@curtin.edu.au.
If asked, “What was your highlight?” I am sure each delegate would freely articulate their most memorable moment from the conference. For me, it was the final morning.
3
Conference Report In Graz, we welcomed almost 100 new participants. One of them was Emily Robinson, student at Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Emily Robinson We asked her about her experiences as “First time attendee” In September 2011 I had the privilege of attending The Network: TUFH’s thirty-eighth annual conference in Graz, Austria as a first time participant. Being that it was also my first international conference, my initial impression was how thrilling it was to be able to ‘see the world’ (...or at least the 39 different countries represented by the delegates!) from one place: pristine and enchanting Graz. As a medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in Canada, the major highlight of the conference for me was to meet other attendees, particularly the students. One of my favourite evenings was probably when I found myself sitting in the back room of a local pub, around a table with twenty other students from all over the world: Belgium, Sweden, Philippines, Romania, Austria...etc., etc.! It was practically our own mini-UN meeting! These sorts of opportunities to connect and share with peers experiencing and passionate about many of the same things, are probably why these conferences have been held annually and well-attended for over thirty years. As for the formal portion of the conference, the various types of sessions lent themselves well to allowing me to understand more about this organization from multiple angles- whether this was in the form of a keynote speaker, a didactic session, a pos-
Annual International Conference Looking Back to Graz and Looking Forward to Thunder Bay ter presentation, or just informally talking with a delegate over a coffee break. It was enriching to see that despite the diverse number of countries and worldviews present, this conference attracted individuals who shared the common passion for, truly, making health care available to all.
School of Medicine from Dr. Strasser, the Founding Dean, but to also see it through the eyes of delegates at the conference who were hearing about NOSM for the first time. For this reason, among many, I am quite looking forward to being a part of hosting the bright and engaged individuals that attend The Network: Towards Unity for I noticed there were a number of themes Health conferences year after year. that continued to crop up through these sessions, as commonalities for most coun- In my opinion, autumns in Canada are the tries: discussion of the barriers to equal best time to travel to this great northern naaccess to health care, such as ethnic or tion, as the leaves are bursting with colour, gender-based discrimination; strategies in the air is crisp and the Canadian geese are structuring medical education to facilitate jetting in a ‘V’ across the blue skies! social accountability and advocacy for those who do not have a voice. In particular, it I greatly look forward to seeing how this
Delegates Northern Ontario School of Medicine
conference will be a venue for continued was informative and thought-provoking to dialogue, investigation and action surrounattend the Keynote Session by Adv. Kamay- ding the issue of access to health for all gloani Bali Mahabal on the Girl Child and sex- bal citizens selection in India. Emily Robinson, Northern Ontario Medical Next year, I am humbled and excited to be School, M.D. Candidate, Class of 2014 Email: emrobinson@nosm.ca a part of the planning committee for Rendez-Vous 2012 in Thunder Bay, Canada. At www.the-networktufh.org/conferences/ the Graz conference, I was very proud to thisyear not only hear about the Northern Ontario www.rendez-vous2012.ca 4
Conference Report Site Visits During the conference, participants had the opportunity to explore the Austrian health care system, via community site visits. On the next pages you can read about different learning experiences.
Erzberg Mine After a beautiful ride through Western Styria’s typical landscapes we arrived in Eisenerz, at the mine of Erzberg. This is central Europe’s largest and possibly oldest, open pit iron ore mine.
tection. Precautionary actions include regular site visits and the performance of diagnostic (eg ECG) and other preventive (vaccination) procedures. Working in the mine is often in extreme conditions. The most commonly cited health problems are hearing disabilities and joint problems. Our foray into the mine and experience with the actual mining equipment gave us a first hand look at the very loud and physically demanding nature of the work. When a mine disaster happens, there is an extended disaster preparedness and management plan including the local fire department, police and mine authorities. Prevention beats rescue is their motto! We took a ride up the misty mountain in a mega dump truck affectionately named “Hauly” which is 5 meters high! That way we could observe closely the open mine activities. Afterwards we visited the underground demonstration mine. With an old crew train we rode over 2 kilometers into the heart of the mountain. There we undertook a walking tour, exhibiting the original machines showing us how the mining in the old days was accomplished.
The first mining activities in this area were documented in the year AD300. The underground mine has been closed since 1986, and only an open-pit mine has remained operational. Nowadays 220 people work here but not so long ago there were the “high days in the sixties” when the mine employed up to 5000 people. The mountain is 1465m high and is divided in to several levels, producing over 7 million tons of iron ore a year. Today 80% of the local population depends on the mining industry. Every year there is a major sports event organized. Motocross Erzberg is a race where 1500 riders do breathtaking stunts on the rocky slopes in order to reach the top. Only few arrive there and of course this is a big challenge for the local Red Cross who provides health care to the participants! The presentation included topics surrounding the occupational health services of the mine. They recognize hazards and try to change behavior of the miners by giving training and personal pro-
Dr Julie Vanden Bulcke, Editor Newsletter, The Network: TUFH Email: julie1.vandenbulcke@ugent.be
The Miners, ready to embark on a great adventure
5
Conference Report Country Hospital Stolzalpe – ”Hospital at the Sun“
Group picture at Graz conference
Country hospital Stolzalpe
Due to its 90 year old history, from a natural healing facility for TB patients to a centre for orthopedics and orthopedic surgery, the hospital was an ideal place for a Network: TUFH site visit. Thirty-seven participants from more than 10 nations shouldered the 2-hour journey to the Upper Mur-Valley in the north of Styria to reach the regional state hospital Stolzalpe situated at 1300m fulfilling all criteria of former altitude health resorts. With more than 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, it soon became a well known place right after its prototype in Davos, Switzerland. Starting with a small 40-bed Children’s Home further sun buildings were built between the 1920’s and 1930’s. In addition to long waiting lists during and after World War II, the hospital also had to tackle several challenges such as financial problems and later the decline of tuberculosis. Around 1960 the first antibiotics against consumption became available in Austria and the hospital had to reinvent itself completely. It soon became a centre known nationwide for orthopedics and orthopedic surgery. Its international reputation was developed when the former director, Professor R. Graf, developed the concept of hip sonography for newborns. The participants first heard a briefing on the history and the present situation of the hospital as well as the physiotherapeutic group and physical medicine. After a delicious “finger-food” lunch, there was a house guided tour including some of the physiotherapeutic facilities. The hospital owned museum opened its doors to show The Network: TUFH participants an example of how health education and prevention is conducted in an industrialized country facing all kinds of lifestyle diseases. The grand finale was the visit of the local brewery in Murau! Dr Doris Holzinger Email: doris-holzinger@gmx.at
6
Conference Report Rural GP Practice and Oil Mill in Western Styria Western Styria lies about 30 miles south of Graz. It is one of nine federal provinces of Austria, nestled in the Alpine range. It is known for its wine growing and also produces a unique food product - pumpkin seed oil, offering a health benefit of low saturated fat, high Vitamin E and reputation for enhancing men’s virility while shrinking their enlarged prostates. It is also home to many rural clinics run by generalist physicians. About 40 Network: TUFH participants visited one such clinic followed by a visit to the pumpkin seed oil mill.
government for his services. His income is considerably lower than that of specialists, he has no hospital privileges and local pediatricians see all the children from 0-3. When the group left, it reflected on what Dr. K. had told them. All were amazed at the high volume yet isolated nature of his practice and wondered whether this style of practice could change to become more appealing to young physicians and recent medical graduates in the future.
The general practitioner was Dr. Ragwin Klaftenegger and he ran what he told us was a typical practice in this rural area— he was the only physician and employed two receptionists. He and another generalist were the only physicians in the region serving about four thousand patients; the ratio of doctor/population set by the Austrian government. He explained that his clinic sees about 160-180/day while he sees “only” 60-80/day personally. Many patients come for paperwork which his staff can tend to. In addition, he makes house calls most afternoon and stops in to see patients in the local nursing home. There is a nearby military base and a group of Slovenian workers in the area, so his practice has a special relationship with these groups. He draws labs in his practice and sends the blood to a regional lab and he sends patients needing x-rays out to a radiologist’s group. He and the generalists in the region banded together and bought a pharmacy from which his patients can obtain drugs.
Scrambled eggs in pumpkin see oil
The group then visited the pumpkin oil seed mill where they were shown traditional and modern means of producing the seed oil and provided with an oil-enhanced lunch prepared by the mill’s owner, Mr. Thomas Hartlieb. There was even a huge wok in which scrambled eggs drenched in pumpkin seed oil was whipped up and served to each visitor on the spot. The group was shown the unique quality of the Styrian pumpkin seeds— dark green and without shells, so they didn’t require peeling. They then visited the modern production room where each step of the process was explained—seeds are grounded, then soaked in water and salt (to help separate the oil from the rest of the protein-rich seeds), then the mash is roasted for an hour, then the mash is compressed in a high pressure cylinder which squeezes out the oil into a container, with remaining pulp yielding hardened disks which are protein-rich and can be sold as feed for farm animals. Nothing was wasted. The mill was also a shared, economic development resource for local farmers who grow pumpkin seeds. They can bring their seeds to the mill for processing, then use their oil for personal use or for sale and profit.
Group in front of a GP practice
Dr. K. grew up in this region, his father was also a general practitioner and he knows its families well, having gone to school with many of them. He identified two major problems in his community—obesity and alcoholism…the latter often dismissed as a problem by the drinkers in question. Dr. K seemed quite professionally isolated in his practice. He rarely has students in his practice. His patients receive free care, but he bills the
Arthur Kaufman, MD, Distinguished Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Vice Chancellor for Community Health, University of New Mexico Email: akaufman@salud.unm.edu 7
Conference Report Great Stories from Great People Dr. Carissa F. Etienne has served as the Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Services at the World Health Organization (WHO) since February 2008. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organiza¬tion (PAHO). A national of Dominica, Dr Etienne began her career as a medical officer at the Princess Margaret Hospital in her country, where she eventually became the Chief Medical Officer. She gave a very inspiring opening key note at our Graz conference. Afterwards we took the opportunity to interview this great woman.
Dr. Carissa Etienne
You told us that there was a fundamental experience in the beginning of your career as a professional in Dominica that really shaped your future in relation to primary care. Can you explain? In 1979, in my tiny island of Dominica we suffered the effects of a hurricane that destroyed a lot of our infrastructure. In particular, all of our health care facilities were badly hit, so we began the process of rebuilding what we thought was our health system but concentrating on the hospital. This was 1979 but the declaration of Alma Ata was 1978, so the Pan-American Health Organization and many other agencies came to Dominica. All they wanted to speak about was primary health care (PHC) so there began a movement and a process in Dominica for the transformation and reorganization of our entire health system based on the principles of PHC. And that, above all, has shaped and continues to dominate who I am as a professional, who I am as a medical doctor and importantly even the work that I continue to do in WHO.
Interview with Dr Carissa Etienne from WHO You first worked for PAHO, for Latin America and then you came to Geneva. Today you addressed the issue of migrant health. Why is migrant health such an important issue? The migrant population tends to be marginalized, very vulnerable and poor, so they represent the disadvantage in our needs. A recent estimation of the World Bank showed that they form some 4% of the world population. This migration can be internal and external with internal being a much higher percentage. Because these people are so disadvantaged we see that their health care needs are increased, but they live in particularly difficult economic and social conditions which continues to impact on their health. Their access to services is very low and they are discriminated against.
“ I feel we have a moral obligation to ensure that we can provide health care for migrants, so they can live in dignity and they can live productive lives.”
Do you have some suggestions about how to handle migrant health? First and foremost, we should diminish the burden of out-of-pocket payments and replace this by a prepaid health system. We should strengthen the social determinants agreements between the origin and the destination countries. The private sector should be explored. We also have to raise awareness among migrants about their own interests and obligations. Healthcare workers should be trained in giving quality care to migrants. And the economic consequences of better healthcare for migrants should be stated clearly. Tomorrow you take another direction. You go to New York for the United Nations High Level meeting on Non- Communicable Diseases (NCD). There was a lot of discussion on whether we should advocate for a vertical disease oriented approach or strengthen the PHC systems. What is your expectation for this meeting? In New York, the governments of this world will debate and hopefully come to consensus on the importance of the epidemic of NCDs; an epidemic that claims the lives of millions of people in our societies, particularly in poor countries and ends life at the time when it is as the height of his/her productivity. So there is a great social and economic cost to NCDs. I hope the declaration will recognize that problem and we begin to agree to some solutions with one of those being an emphasis on health systems based on PHC, which can best address the health needs of persons with chronic diseases but also for prevention and promotion.
They suffer violence and abuse. The host countries and destination countries for the most part are not prepared to give access to social determinants of health services for these people. In a way I feel we have a moral obligation to ensure that we can provide Dr Carissa Etienne, Assistant Director-Genesome care for these people so they can live ral for Health Systems and Services, WHO in dignity and live productive lives. I think Email: etienneca@who.int the migrant population does not need to be a burden on the destination country. If we work with them and help them to improve their status of life, they can contribute economically to the development of their destination country. 8
Conference Report What Did You Think about This Year’s Conference? Khalifa Elmusharaf (Sudan); “I liked this conference because of the richness of scientific knowledge, sharing experiences and the high quality of posters. The ideas become more innovative. It’s a pity that there were not more students activities. This is also a central part of The Network: TUFH, to bring students together and prepare future leaders.” Stacey Militante (Student, Philippines): “It’s an overwhelming experience. You meet so many new people. The great thing is that we can learn from the experts but the experts also learn from us!”
David Marsh (Canada): “I like the way it brings together people from all over the world. There are a lot of valuable experiences being shared and it’s an excellent opportunity to learn from each other.”
Amany Refaat (Egypt): “I find the conference well organized and great.”
Marta Aymerich (Spain): “I like that this conference is really unlimited. Everybody is very respectful to each other, there are no egos!”
Jules Yao and Carlo Flavier (Students, Philippines): “There is such a variety of delegates from different nations and age groups. That way we learn about problems and solutions from all over the world.” Paul Akmajian (USA): “This is my fourth conference and as always it’s just a wonderful opportunity to see people that are doing things all over the world. Sometimes in these small developing countries we see things that are very innovative and interesting, so it’s very valuable!”
Sarah Abdalla (Sudan): “The keynote sessions really shows what’s going on in the world.”
Muhammad Khan (UK): “It was a very nice experience because compared to other conferences where you mainly just listen, here you get the chance to interact, participate and engage in discussion. It brings experts and students like me together to share ideas.”
Jaime Ronderos (Colombia): ”This is the best conference I have attended, I’m very happy I was here.”
Oathokwa Nkomazana (Botswana): ”Great networking opportunity which you can later call on when you need it!”
9
The Network: TUFH in Action The New Logo and Your Reactions Jan De Maeseneer, Secretary General “First and for all there is the light, the hope and the warmth of the red circle, symbolizing the communities we serve. The surrounding circles which connect at different points represent working together, not only within our own organization but also with likeminded ones. They represent interprofessional and intersectoral collaboration. We all work towards the same goal, and have to make connections in order to achieve this objective: unity for health, based on equity. To do so, we have to overcome obstacles and bridge gaps, represented by the two squares. On the other hand, the two squares could also represent educational institutions. Some of them are really integrated in the community (the purple one), others have still a long way to go (the black one). But this is just one interpretation. There could be plenty of other interpretations of our new logo. And that’s okay. In fact, that is what makes The Network: TUFH so unique, with its extensive international membership: share your thoughts and be openminded towards other ideas and interpretations.”
This year we launched our new logo. As with all new things you immediately have people who love it or hate it, people who need to get used to it or people who don’t understand it. Therefore we first asked the Secretary General and afterwards we asked you:
Olayinka Ayankogbe (Nigeria): “It’s more modern and the pink makes it sexy! It gives the feeling that The Network: TUFH is on the move.” Ricardo Barchiesi (Sweden): “I like it better than the previous one. I see it as if there are different ways to cross barriers, with a unity in the middle and different ways to reach it. It shows that we are going somewhere.” Gisele Manalo (Australia): “The colors are bright and attractive. I think the circles mean unifying but I found it hard to find the connections in this logo.” Asiya Khan (USA): “I really like it. It’s more colorful and more visible as compared to the old one.” Godwin Aja (Nigeria): ”It looks good, the circles suggest collaboration, moving around and connecting, but I’d like to know why the color of the circle is red.” Joe Ichter (USA): “I think it’s difficult to grasp the symbolism in it unless you know exactly what The Network: TUFH does, but it’s pretty.” Stephen Knight (South Africa): “I didn’t see what it meant until it was explained to me, now it’s clearer. I’m not very arty so at first it didn’t come to me as a network logo.” Milly Kabanga (Uganda): ”I like it because it catches the eye, I also like the unifying design, which is binding us together as network people. I think it will sell our Network: TUFH, good marketing!”
10
The Network: TUFH in Action Introduction New Website site, as well as an online registration form to become a member of The Network. The interactive part of the website offers different forums where you can discuss topics and issues with likeminded people as well as some interactive learning modules and consultation materials. Of course, a website is never ‘finished’! It needs constant updating and improvement. Therefore, if you have some high quality materials that could be of interest to a wider public, you are most welcome to submit it to the office of The Network: TUFH and perhaps it will be published on the website.
“Cherishing the past, building the future.” That was the challenge the office of The Network: Towards Unity for Health in Belgium was facing, when the office was transferred from the Netherlands to Belgium. In these times of fast communication and interactive media, a thorough update of the website of The Network: TUFH was absolutely necessary. The new website needed to contribute to a sustainable future for The Network: TUFH, be up to date, catchy and attractive, easy to overview and pretty to look at. All these criteria have resulted in the new website of The Network: TUFH, available on the same url as before: www.the-networktufh.org
Go to www.the-networktufh.org and experience it yourself!
You can find everything you need and want to know by navigating through the top-menu. All conference information is available at the web-
Kaat De Backer, Executive Director, The Network: Towards Unity for Health Email: secretariat-network@ugent.be
11
Member and Organisational News Grant Stella D’hont
Newsletter Volume 29/no. 2/December 2012 ISSN 1571-9308 Editor: Julie Vanden Bulcke, Kaat De Backer Language editor: Amy Clithero The Network: Towards Unity for Health Publications UGent University Hospital, 1K3 De Pintelaan 185 B-9000 Ghent Belgium Tel: (32) (0)9 332 1234 Fax: (32) (0)9 332 49 67 Email: secretariat-network@ugent.be Internet: www.the-networktufh.org Lay Out: Marijke Deweerdt, Sofie De Backere Print: Drukkerij Focusprint
On September 9, 2011 a little girl was born, named Stella D’hont. Her parents didn’t care for fancy presents but encouraged friends and family to donate to The Network: TUFH. Numerous people followed this advize and the generous donations resulted in the Stella D’hont Grant. The grant will be used as mini-grants for projects that aim to improve the health of the community. More information on how to apply for these mini grants will be available soon on www.the-networktufh.org. If you also want to donate to The Network: TUFH, please Stella D’hont contact the office.
Members all over the World We always talk about our members, “they come from over 60 countries worldwide”. But where do they actually come from? To make it more visible we put them on a world map, and as you can see, we’re broadly represented in all continents! We want to thank all of our members that have been so dedicated to the goals and objectives of The Network: TUFH, for so many years. But also those members that have recently joined us, we want to thank. Their impact, support and ideas are crucial to keep evolving and growing. If your institution is not a member yet/anymore, feel free to contact the secretariat or visit the website for more information: www.the-networktufh.org. Become a member today and share your expertise, projects and commitment with colleagues from all around the globe.