Success story in technical cooperation among countries of the south

Abstract

Abstract The policy paper aims at sharing experience in medical education between Tunisia and Djibouti through technical support from WHO EMRO. Djibouti, a francophone country located in the English-speaking horn of Africa, could not rely on neighboring countries to help in establishing a badly needed medical school. Djibouti a low middle-income country, with around one million population has a low density in medical professionals. Most of them were trained in France or other francophone countries and the rate of return to practice. WHO EMRO was requested to support in establishing a medical school. A feasibility study to develop a problem based and community oriented medical school was carried out by experts from WHO EMRO and from senior medical professors from Lebanon and Tunisia. A plan was designed to establish the medical school with support from WHO EMRO and technical cooperation from Tunisia using the same approach in establishing the medical school of Nouakchott in Mauritania. Initial funding was provided from WHO EMRO to support acquisition of education materials and laboratories and by a 600,000 $ grant from the African Bank to secure travel and accommodation of visiting professors from Tunisia and from other francophone countries from the region. More than 300 physicians were trained locally and efforts are being made to train Djiboutian residents in various specialties and to train future teachers. The objectives of the paper are to: To share a success story in south to south cooperation with technical support from WHOTo harness solidarity mechanisms among countries of the southTo highlight the positive role played by WHO in facilitating technical cooperation and in mobilizing financial resources from development bank to support medical education Key messages need to harness solidarity among countries of the south in human resource development. highlight the facilitating role of WHO In technical cooperation and in fund raising.