Unam to train anaesthetists
The Unam School of Medicine, established seven years ago, will enrol its first batch of students for a four-year specialisation course in anaesthesia next year.
The dean of the medical school, Professor Peter Nyarango, this week confirmed that they already have on board three staff members, including a Nigerian-trained associate professor who has practised in Botswana for five years.
Additional staff earmarked for this venture include a senior lecturer from Ghana with roughly 15 years of experience and a lecturer from Zimbabwe with seven years of experience as a medical doctor and trainee anaesthetist.
“But those alone cannot pull you through, so we are also working with two senior anaesthetists that are working for the Ministry of Health and Social Services at the Windhoek Central and the Katutura hospitals. One is also qualified in intensive care,” he said.
According to Nyarango, the country's high rates of maternal mortality and car accidents strongly influenced the decision to offer this specific training.
“There are conditions which, if action is not taken immediately - within one hour or one day - let's say labour or people with a heart condition, can be life-threatening,” he said.
He emphasised that this kind of care is mainly available in Windhoek and essentially denied to rural people.
“When we were writing our curriculum last year, the total was only eight. The country is very thin on the ground. It is no use having a very highly specialist unit in Windhoek but the accidents take place between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo,” he said.
Interest
According to Nyarango there is a high demand for this training in the country, demonstrated by the oversubscription for crash courses offered to medical officers in the public service.
He said about 30 local doctors are ready to apply for this particular course.
“We also want to capture our students that are finishing their internships this year before they change their minds and decide to go outside the country for postgraduate studies,” he said.
According to him the country loses out on critical medical services when its doctors go abroad for medical specialisation.
“Training specialisation is not only just in class – so they give more or less free services in the countries where they go.”
Namibia enjoys massive support from the anaesthetics and intensive care department of Cardiff University in Wales, the professor said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
The dean of the medical school, Professor Peter Nyarango, this week confirmed that they already have on board three staff members, including a Nigerian-trained associate professor who has practised in Botswana for five years.
Additional staff earmarked for this venture include a senior lecturer from Ghana with roughly 15 years of experience and a lecturer from Zimbabwe with seven years of experience as a medical doctor and trainee anaesthetist.
“But those alone cannot pull you through, so we are also working with two senior anaesthetists that are working for the Ministry of Health and Social Services at the Windhoek Central and the Katutura hospitals. One is also qualified in intensive care,” he said.
According to Nyarango, the country's high rates of maternal mortality and car accidents strongly influenced the decision to offer this specific training.
“There are conditions which, if action is not taken immediately - within one hour or one day - let's say labour or people with a heart condition, can be life-threatening,” he said.
He emphasised that this kind of care is mainly available in Windhoek and essentially denied to rural people.
“When we were writing our curriculum last year, the total was only eight. The country is very thin on the ground. It is no use having a very highly specialist unit in Windhoek but the accidents take place between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo,” he said.
Interest
According to Nyarango there is a high demand for this training in the country, demonstrated by the oversubscription for crash courses offered to medical officers in the public service.
He said about 30 local doctors are ready to apply for this particular course.
“We also want to capture our students that are finishing their internships this year before they change their minds and decide to go outside the country for postgraduate studies,” he said.
According to him the country loses out on critical medical services when its doctors go abroad for medical specialisation.
“Training specialisation is not only just in class – so they give more or less free services in the countries where they go.”
Namibia enjoys massive support from the anaesthetics and intensive care department of Cardiff University in Wales, the professor said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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