Budget 2017: Key Highlights from CanWaCH

March 28, 2017 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

On March 22 The Canadian Partnership for Women’s and Children’s Health released a summary of the 2017 Budget.

This post includes key highlights presented by CanWaCH for their Partners and the International Development Sector.

Budget 2017

Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s second annual budget focuses on the ‘modernization’ of Canada’s international development assistance delivery and an emphasis on women’s empowerment, including women’s economic empowerment and addressing violence against women.

Canada’s first ever Gender Statement was also an important feature in the budget with gender-based analysis (1) becoming an integral part of government decision-making.

No additional funding for Official Development Assistance (ODA) or Canada’s International Assistance Envelope (IAE) was referenced.

The forthcoming release of the International Assistance Review (IAR) was also referenced in the budget and will give a clearer indication of the direction of Canada on development assistance.

The Budget references previously funded announcements. This includes:

$650 million towards sexual and reproductive health and rights;
Humanitarian support of $1.6 billion over three years (launched in 2016-17 and committed in February 2016) for the promotion of peace through security, stabilization, humanitarian and development assistance to respond to the ongoing crisis in Iraq and Syria. The Government also announced it will resettle approximately 1,200 highly vulnerable refugees, including Yazidi women and girls and other survivors of Daesh to Canada.
The Development Finance Institution (DFI), initially announced in 2015 is capitalized at $300 million. The DFI will support sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing countries by promoting economic growth, creating jobs, advancing women’s economic empowerment and reducing poverty in areas where alternative financing is scarce.

The budget committed to restoring Canada as a leader in international peace operations with the United Nations, including pledging up to 600 well-trained Canadian military personnel for possible deployment as part of a broader whole-of-government approach that includes “political, security, development and humanitarian response to conflict situations.”

Minister Morneau remarked to the House of Commons, “In international assistance [Canada] remains committed to helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. And we will continue to modernize our efforts so we can deliver better results, improve transparency, and foster innovation around the world.”

For more information please visit the CanWaCH website.

1 Gender-based analysis (GBA) identifies the ways in which public policies affect women and men differently. It does so through a systematic use of data to better tailor the design and delivery of government programs. Recently, this tool has evolved into GBA+ to include the intersecting identity factors that must be considered in public policy along with and in relation to gender (e.g. ethnicity, age, income, sexual orientation).

Dalhousie Medicine increasing commitment to Indigenous Health

February 6, 2017 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

By Shawna O’Hearn, Director of the Global Health Office and Matt Jalink, MSc Candidate in Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University.

February 2017

Dalhousie Medicine wishes to acknowledge the important work done by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). In order to develop strong relationships that respect and honour the Indigenous community and territory, we must build on the TRC’s commitments and integrate the calls to action into our educational programming.

As part of moving toward relationships of trust and collaboration with our Indigenous partners, Joe MacEachern was hired in November 2016 to enhance our Indigenous programs within the Faculty of Medicine. Joe, a Metis from Antigonish, has worked with Indigenous communities on cultural and health and wellness issues for over a decade.

Joe MacEachern, program manager, Indigenous health

Joe graduated from St FX University before moving to Ottawa, where he worked with the Nutrition North(1) program to improve access to nutritious foods across the three territories, northern Ontario and Quebec. With this federal government experience, Joe became a manager at the Wabano Aboriginal Health Centre(2). There, he worked with elders to build culturally safe programs for the diverse Indigenous populations and communities in the Ottawa area.

Joe was determined to return home to Nova Scotia to work with Indigenous communities in the Maritimes. For three years, he was the Non-insured Health Benefits Navigator at the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat(3). He represented 36 First Nations communities in the Atlantic region and helped them gain access to health benefits. Joe is also a certified First Nations Health Manager, trained in the creation and delivery of culturally safe health and wellness programming and the management of health clinics.

In his first few months at Dalhousie, Joe worked with faculty to strengthen cases on indigenous health; participated in tutorials; established a new advisory committee (chaired by Dr. Amy Bombay); worked with community members to be part of the medical school curriculum; and traveled to the Miramichi and Eel Ground First Nation to strengthen our New Brunswick partnerships.

We are committed to increasing the number of Indigenous students in the MD program. And given the critical role of mentorship, Joe is building an innovative, new program for Indigenous students to be supported as they consider a career in health, and as they enter medical school. There will also be increased support for Indigenous students as well as expanded Indigenous community partnerships.

Brent Young, Dal Med Class 2019 & Joe MacEachern, Global Health Office

“Indigenous students need the resources to be made available to them to offset the barriers to success,” says Joe. “We need to continue to create and strengthen Dalhousie’s communication with Indigenous communities, and work together to achieve a higher level of cultural competency and student success.”

We are dedicated to fostering an educational and working environment where Indigenous patients, Elders, community members, staff and faculty feel safe and welcome. We are fortunate to partner with the Johnson Scholarship Foundation(4) to enhance our vision of equitable access to health and education for Indigenous youth in the Maritimes. We understand that we have a long road to travel as we move toward reconciliation; hopefully, these may be the first steps toward a new relationship.

References

Kwaheri Tanzania! – Goodbye Tanzania

August 29, 2016 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

By: Keisha Jefferies, Master’s of Nursing student and Queen Elizabeth Scholar at Dalhousie University

It’s hard to believe that 3 months has come and gone so quickly! It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that we were planning and taking part in our pre-departure training. I have experienced and learned so much over the last 3 months, it is truly unreal. From academia, to the Tanzanian culture and finally about myself, this experience has provided so much personal and professional growth.

In Bagamoyo with friends

My placement at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) was an unforgettable experience. I had the opportunity to work closely with some wonderful, experienced researchers, faculty, nurse-midwives and students. At MUHAS, I was able to collaborate and make significant contributions with current research on maternal health in Dar es Salaam. I was busy assisting the team in manuscript writing with literature searches, scholarly writing and document review.

In addition to working on research with the dynamic team of professionals from Dar es Salaam and Halifax, I was able to gather a substantial amount of information for my course requirement, as part of my policy practicum. After gaining my bearings in Dar es Salaam in terms of language, culture and navigation, I was able to really accelerate my learning objectives. For example, I established great connections with various healthcare workers at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), I ventured to UNICEF Tanzania, the Tanzania Midwives Association (TAMA), White Ribbon Alliance (WRA), the Canadian Embassy and the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC), where I was able to connect with key players involved in maternal and newborn health and wellbeing.

Asili Natural Hair Salon in Dar es Salaam

I have learned a great deal about myself as well as enhancing my knowledge and skills in the areas of maternal and newborn health, research, health policy and scholarship. I do not doubt that this experience will benefit me greatly in my future endeavors.

This has been a truly rewarding experience. The rich academic and cultural experiences have enhanced my personal and professional perspectives. Once again, I would like to express a sincere thank you to everyone who has made this experience both possible and truly rewarding.

Roasted corn. One of the popular local snacks.

I am grateful that I was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship to pursue this experience and learn so much! Asante sana (thank you very much) to the GHO (Dal), the School of Nursing (Dal) and the QES foundation. I look forward to returning to Tanzania to continue my studies in hopes to make a contribution to maternal and newborn health.

Some henna for my journey back to Canada

The Dalhousie Tiger that was given to each QES scholar at pre-departure, all set to travel home.

The Canadian Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Met some great people here.

Snapchat of my henna session at my friend’s house.

In front of the Slave museum at Bagamoyo

Habari (Hello) from the Motherland!

June 20, 2016 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

A few months ago we introduced two Queen Elizabeth Scholars who are now in Tanzania for the summer. Matt Jalink (Intern) and Keisha Jefferies (Scholar) have sent us updates to share.

Habari (Hello) from the Motherland!

Keisha Jefferies is a Master’s of Nursing student at Dalhousie University

What an experience this has been thus far. Not only is this my first time in Tanzania, but it is also my first trip to the Motherland. I was unsure of what to expect in terms of the lifestyle, social norms and attitudes, but I am definitely adjusting, settling in nicely and loving every moment!

Since arriving in Dar, I have been learning Swahili (one of the National languages in Tanzania) and it is paying off in the sense that I am able to connect with many people and build relationships. I still have a long way to go before I can hold a decent conversation in Swahili, but people are certainly amused and supportive of my attempts!

Swahili Dar Language (SDL) School where I am learning Swahili.

I have also had the opportunity to volunteer with my host (who is a dietician, nutritionist and lifestyle coach) on a project currently underway with the World Food Program (WFP). The project is focused around increasing awareness about healthy living for staff by proving education on healthy food choices, baseline measurements such as blood pressure (BP), fast blood glucose (FBG), height, weight and body mass index (BMI) as well as sharing options for exercise/ physical activity. We had a few busy days of preparing, presenting, taking baseline measurements and interacting with the WFP staff. Currently, my host is completing the analysis and will soon roll out the intervention phase of the project.

WFP Staff/ project coordinators, Nurses from Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), my host and volunteers.

In addition to learning Swahili and volunteering with the WFP project, I am also working on my own project and program requirements for my Masters! Needless to say, it has been a busy 6 weeks but I am finding time to make friends and enjoy the beautiful city of Dar es Salaam. I have met some wonderfully nice people throughout the city and at the university. I have been fortunate enough to have been invited to attend 3 Masters level lectures on Research Methods for the Midwifery and Critical Care students. This was an amazing experience. Not only I was also able to share ideas and learn from the students and faculty, I was able to sit in and provide feedback on thesis topic presentations.

Students from the Masters of Midwifery and Women’s Health program at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and myself enjoying the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

Masters students and myself at Kipepeo Beach in Kigamboni.

I am looking forward to the many adventures, experiences and opportunities over the next 7 weeks!

Karibu Tanzania! (Welcome to Tanzania)

Matt Jalink is a Community Health and Epidemiology student at Dalhousie University

Karibu Tanzania! (Welcome to Tanzania). I’ve heard this phrase countless times since arriving in Dar es Salaam. Reminiscent of my last visit to the northern city Moshi, the friendliness Tanzanians have shown me is amazing. This hot, bustling metropolis is quickly becoming one of my favorite cities, and stretches out into dozens of districts each with its own subsection of wards. I reside in the city centre district in a quaint little hotel 10 minutes walk from the Indian Ocean. I catch the dala dala (minivan buses) to work every morning in a nearby district called Temeke. Commuting is an experience in itself with obscene driving, constant usage of the horn and doubling the van’s capacity limit giving the suspension a workout. Traffic jams are frequent, so at times hoping on a boda boda (motor cycle taxi) is needed to maneuver around the traffic.

Working as an epidemiology student at PASADA has been a fantastic learning experience. In a very self-directed role, I have been acting primarily as a consultant on a tuberculosis diagnostic test project. Applying the skills I have gained from my coursework to the workplace has been both rewarding and challenging. Participating in data collection in some of the slums of Dar es Salaam was an eye-opening experience despite thinking that I was mentally prepared. However most of my time has been spent assembling the data set and coding the dataset for analysis.

Pastoral Activities and Services for people with AIDS Dar es Salaam Archdiocese (PASADA).

The majority of my free time has been spent exploring the city and surrounding area. Bongoyo Island was a beautiful escape from the city. Watching the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Tanzania and Egypt at the national stadium as an avid football (soccer) player and fan was an incredible atmosphere to be apart of.

Kwaheri! (Bye for now)

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (QES) aims to build a dynamic community of young global leaders in Canada and across the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth Scholars engage in projects both at home and abroad, encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences. Queen Elizabeth Scholars undertake projects that provide meaningful learning experiences, with the potential to create lasting impact. Dalhousie University has teamed up with its partners in the Caribbean, Uganda and Tanzania to develop an international student mobility project, funded by QES, for current Dalhousie students and students in other Commonwealth countries looking to study at Dal. The Global Health Office manages the relationship between our partner associations and Dalhousie, collaborating with many units across campus, and within the QES network, to make these projects possible.

Global Health Award Winners Announced

May 18, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

The Global Health Office would like to congratulate our three 2016 Global Health Award winners: Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, Dr. Anca Matei and Maike van Niekerk. The winners of the Global Health Awards, presented annually, were announced at the Gold-headed Cane Award Gala on Saturday May 7^th. These awards are presented to individuals who advance the global health community at Dalhousie through:

demonstrated leadership in global health
work experience with marginalized communities
engagement in global health research
mentorship in global health (Residents and Faculty only)
promotion, development and enhancement of global health at Dalhousie (Residents and Faculty only).

Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health

Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy.

This award was established in 2003 in memory of Dr. John Savage, a friend and colleague of the Dalhousie Medical School and a tireless champion of the need to promote healthy communities worldwide. A former physician, Premier of Nova Scotia and Mayor of Dartmouth, Dr. Savage had a long-standing commitment to global health projects in Africa with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association and other organizations. The Dr. Savage Memorial Award for Faculty leadership in Global Health recognizes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to global health by a Dalhousie Medical School faculty member.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, Professor in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions, and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. She is also the Director of Dalhousie’s WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre on Health Workforce Planning and Research and the Inaugural Director of the School of Nursing’s Centre for Transformative Nursing and Health Research.

Dal’s designation as a WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre is a major honour. Only researchers with a track record in a given field—including several years of international work—can earn the distinction. Dr. Tomblin Murphy has been building this expertise since she joined Dal’s Nursing faculty in 1990.

Dr. Tomblin Murphy has led projects in Brazil, Jamaica, Zambia and Nunavut. Her research involves planning for health systems and health human resources for populations facing health challenges like malaria, HIV/AIDS, aging and pandemic illness. Dr. Tomblin Murphy’s collaborative work has led to the development of theoretical and analytical frameworks for needs-based planning and service-based planning that have been utilized nationally and internationally.

Dr. Tomblin Murphy is constantly championing global health – whether it be at the community level, when visiting an orphanage or a rural health centre in Zambia, Brazil, or Jamaica or at the systems level, when meeting with government officials and other high-level stakeholders in Canada, the US or other countries. She has been a dedicated global health researcher, mentor and leader to students, faculty, and policy-/decision-makers here in Canada and internationally.

Dr. Jock Murray Award for Resident Leadership in Global Health

Dr. Anca Matei.

This award was established in 2010 to recognize excellence within residents who demonstrate commitment to global health as they advocate for marginalized populations and explore new ways to engage in clinical service, education and research in under-serviced populations in Canada and abroad. Dr. Murray is a world-renowned expert in multiple sclerosis, medical humanities and medical history. Dr. Murray is a former Dean of Dalhousie Medical School; Professor Emeritus at Dalhousie University and remains active in the Medical Humanities Program. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and member of the Order of Nova Scotia. Dr Murray is a strong advocate for the values within global health.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Anca Matei. Anca began her residency in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in 2012 and almost immediately expressed a keen interest in global health. Within a year, she was asked to sit as a resident member on the Department’s global health advisory committee and has remained an engaged and important member of the group. Dr. Matei established that local global health was a critical component and soon formed a Global Health Interest Group, providing opportunities for residents to engage with vulnerable and underserved women in the Halifax Community.

Dr. Matei has orchestrated several education sessions on reproductive and sexual health at Adsum House and Phoenix Youth Services. She has also coordinated outreach work with the Refugee Health Clinic and the North End Community Health Centre. She has drawn her fellow residents into these initiatives and has repeatedly given her time, energy, and expertise at the local level.

Internationally, Dr. Matei has been involved with Kybele, a non-profit humanitarian organization which strives to improve childbirth safety worldwide. She has travelled twice with a Kybele team to Cape Coast, Ghana, to participate in quality improvement projects. She is currently on a six-week internship at the World Health Organization to learn more about how international health organizations can, and sometimes cannot, improve global health.

Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health

Maike van Niekerk.

Established in 2006, this award is presented to a student who has demonstrated leadership in global health and a commitment to improving the health of marginalized communities during their time at Dalhousie. This award honours Dr. Stewart’s personal, professional and educational support and dedication to global health and the advancement of social capital worldwide. Dr. Stewart, a former provincial Minister of Health and Order of Canada recipient, has been enriching students’ experiences at the Dalhousie Medical School for many years as a popular and accomplished educator, past Director of the Medical Humanities program and as a key champion for global health education.

This year’s recipient is Maike van Niekerk, a third year nursing student who is a global health leader committed to community service and outreach in the field. Through a research project with Dr. Amy Bombay, she looked at the influence of historical trauma on the psychological well-being of Indigenous Canadians diagnosed with cancer. She presented at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Australia, as well as the annual American Psychosocial Conference in California.

She has also been a Canadian delegate at the United Nations Youth Assembly, been a speaker on Plan Canada’s Because I am a Girl Speakers Bureau, and sits on the Dalhousie School of Nursing Diversity committee.

In an attempt to make healthcare accessible for cancer patients across Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Maike initiated Katrin’s Karepackage. This program is named in her mother’s memory, as she passed away from breast cancer when Maike was 15. Maike has raised over $55,000 by biking across Newfoundland and running 7 consecutive marathons in 7 days across the province.

She has been awarded the National Canadian Cancer Society’s Outstanding Youth Leadership Award, as well as the Newfoundland and Labrador Canadian Cancer Society Inspirational Achievement in Volunteer Youth Leadership. Moreover, Maike was a speaker at Dalhousie’s 2016 TedX, inspiring fellow students to get involved in taking leadership in global health.

Note: Award winner bios were taken from their nomination letters, and award descriptions were taken from the Dalhousie Global Health Office website.

IMU/IMG Welcome Lunch

May 10, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

Since 1996, Dalhousie University has partnered with the International Medical University (IMU) in Malaysia. Each year, up to six IMU students are eligible to complete third- and fourth-year clerkships at Dalhousie University leading to a Canadian Medical Doctorate degree. Dalhousie University also offers an International Medical Graduate (IMG) program, where two qualified candidates who are newcomers to Nova Scotia are admitted to clerkship at Dalhousie Medical School. Once this program is completed, students are eligible to enter the first round of the CaRMS match as a Dalhousie graduate.

On Thursday May 5th, the Dalhousie Global Health Office held a luncheon to welcome our new IMU/IMG students. We would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new Dalhousie Medical School students, and wish them the best of luck as they transition to clerkship.

IMU Students

Abhinaya Yeddala – India

Chanaka Attygalle – Sri Lanka

Afnan Didi – Maldives

Howser Teng – Malaysia

IMG Students

Erika Tratz – Originally from Germany (resides in New Glasgow)

Daryush Kiamiri – Originally from Iran (resides in Halifax)

Said Msabaha (middle), Program Manager International Education Programs, welcoming new students.

Group photo! 2016 IMU/IMG welcome lunch attendees.

New IMU students at Dalhousie University (from left to right: Abhinaya Yeddala, Afnan Didi, Chanaka Attygalle, Howser Teng).

From IMU to Dal, and Beyond: An Interview with Randy Aung

April 19, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

Dr. Randy Aung, second year MSc. Community Health & Epidemiology student at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Randy Aung, originally from Yangon in Myanmar, is a second year student in the MSc. Community Health and Epidemiology program at Dalhousie University. He is also a member of the Dalhousie Medical School Class of 2014, and began his medical education at the International Medical University (IMU) in Malaysia. During his time as a student at Dalhousie, Randy participated in the Global Health Office Link Program, and acted as an intern at the World Health Organization (WHO). We recently sat down with Randy to learn more about his Dalhousie experience.

What did your internship at WHO this past summer entail, and how did you discover this opportunity?

I was talking to Shawna O’Hearn (the director of the Global Health Office) and she mentioned that there is an opportunity each year for a few Dalhousie students to undertake an internship with WHO. I was interested in building my resume, and she connected me with the organizers. It was an unpaid internship, and although Geneva can be expensive, I think the experience was well worth it. You get to meet so many people from different countries, and also travel on the weekends.

I worked on two main projects with the SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts) secretariat at the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. The first project involved working with the Wikipedia Medical Director to incorporate all the WHO vaccine recommendations into their respective Wikipedia pages. The other project involved revising the 2015 guideline document for WHO vaccine position papers. For each vaccine-preventable disease, there is a ~30 page position paper where WHO recommendations are published. If a working group needs to prepare a position paper, they have to refer to the guidelines. The whole internship lasted for two and a half months.

Randy and the other 2015 WHO interns in Geneva.

How would you describe your experience at Dalhousie and in Halifax?

Halifax is a cool city. Before I moved, I had only lived in big cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. When I was Googling it, Halifax seemed to be pretty small…but when I arrived here, I found that there are so many things to do. I really love the snow in the winter, as ridiculous as it may sound! Before I moved I had never seen snow.

The people here are really friendly, especially at Dal. When I was in medical school, everyone was very willing to help and reach out so you can succeed in your career and academic goals. For medical school, Halifax was a big change from Malaysia where I did the first part of my medical school. Malaysia has a completely different healthcare system compared to Canada. During my first clinical rotation, it took a while to get used to these changes. Once I got into my second rotation though, I was more familiar with how things worked in the hospital. I decided to do a Master’s in Community Health & Epidemiology (CH&E) because I didn’t have any undergraduate degree before medical school and I had no previous research experience. Evidence-based medicine is very important. Research studies come out so fast, and there are so many of them. You have to be able to critically appraise which studies are of good quality, and which ones are relevant to the patients you are seeing. CH&E really helped me out with that, and taught me how to appreciate good research.

What are your next steps, now that you are graduating from your Master’s?

I’m moving to New York. I’ll be doing my residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, which is affiliated with Albert Einstein College of Medicine. My residency in general pediatrics will last 3 years. I haven’t made up my mind on which sub-specialty I want to go into. I may end up staying with general pediatrics, but I am considering pediatric hematology/oncology or pediatric infectious diseases for my fellowship.

What type of research are you conducting for your CH&E Master’s thesis?

I’m working with Dr. Joanne Langley at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology. We are conducting a retrospective cohort study, looking at the incidence and clinical burden of lower respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised children. This involves a retrospective chart review.

Why are you interested in pediatrics?

First of all, I love kids and I love working with kids. You get to work and play at the same time, which is a great career! I find that kids are very resilient, and they really tend to improve after seeing doctors. This is different from some other specialties. Take older adults who present at an Emergency Department with heart failure or COPD. They get treated, but it can often be a cycle [in older patients], where it is difficult to see improvement. But for kids, they often get better, and that’s one of the main things that I love about pediatrics. You can make a very visible difference.

Could you tell us a bit about the Link program, and how it helped you to transition into your clerkship?

The Link program lasts about 3 months (15 weeks) and is designed by the Global Health Office for IMU students. We study for two and half years in Malaysia, then we transfer for third and fourth year at Dalhousie Medical School. The curriculum at IMU versus Dal are a bit different. There are some aspects that are not covered in Malaysia, such as psychiatry and pediatrics. We also didn’t have a lot of clinical experience in our first two years at IMU, whereas at Dalhousie during these years they have clinical experience weekly. The Link program is basically a transition period, where topics like psychiatry and pediatrics are covered, and we get to experience a four-week hospital rotation. We shadow doctors, like Dalhousie students do in the first two years of their medical education. It was a good transition, I couldn’t imagine myself going straight into third year without the Link program. I wouldn’t know what to do! The program also included an introduction to the Canadian healthcare system.

Do you have any advice for incoming IMU students?

One important thing to note is that there is only one province where you can do your residency in Canada after this program – Newfoundland. I would advise IMU students to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) before coming to Dalhousie if you’re interested in doing residency in the US. Clerkship can be busy, and you might not have as much time to study for, and take that exam during this time.

Note: Randy took a break between graduating from medical school and residency, and wrote the exam while studying for his Master’s degree.

Try to be outgoing, and enjoy what Halifax has to offer. The university culture is a bit different. In Malaysia, you don’t usually ask questions when you are face to face with your staff physicians. In Halifax, you are encouraged to talk and ask questions. Even if you don’t know all the answers, don’t be afraid to try and put yourself out there. It will help you grow and learn.

To learn more about the IMU partnership, please watch the Faculty of Medicine’s latest Youtube video (which features Randy at 3:27)!

Randy and friends during summer travels in Interlaken.

Healthcare in Chaos: Social Media Roundup

April 13, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

On March 30th 2016, the Dalhousie Global Health Office collaborated with the Canadian Red Cross and the Government of Canada to present “Healthcare in Chaos: Best Practices in Global Humanitarian Health Work.” This event consisted of a global health fair, where organizations from the Halifax area shared discussed their global health experiences, a global health themed photo booth, and a panel discussion. The panel was moderated by Pauline Dakin of CBC NS, and featured Dr. Jason Nickerson, Dr. Lynda Redwood-Campbell and Dr. Matthew Hunt.

If you were unable to attend, and are wondering what you missed, have no fear! See our social media round-up below, which includes photographs from the event by David Grandy, and select tweets. More photos can be found on the Global Health Office Facebook page, and event tweets can be found by searching #FacesofHumanity.

The Healthcare in Chaos panel ready to begin discussion; from left to right: Pauline Dakin (moderator), Dr. Jason Nickerson, Dr. Lynda Redwood-Campbell, Dr. Matthew Hunt.

Global Health Office Director, Shawna O’Hearn, introducing the evening’s panelists.

Full house at the Healthcare in Chaos event, held in the Paul O’Regan Hall at the Halifax Central Library.

What is Global Health? Towards an Updated, Universal Definition

April 5, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

By: Maria Wilson

Global Health Office Outreach Assistant

Global Health is an attractive and high profile field. We encounter global health issues on a daily basis, often without even realizing. In 2014, the West African Ebola outbreak was sensationalized in the media for months, featured heavily on every major Canadian media outlet. Several of the world’s largest charitable organizations – which you may work with, donate to, or benefit from – target global health issues. Poverty and health inequities continue to affect both our local and global communities. Students are being encouraged more and more to engage in international experiences in order to become well-rounded “global citizens.” Global health is all around us.

But what does “global health” really mean? If we asked five experts in the field to define global health, chances are each would provide a different response. Why? Because global health has grown over the years to encompass a variety of ideas and notions, including interdisciplinary cooperation, infectious and non-infectious disease, international development, social justice, food security, maternal and newborn child health, and environmental issues…and the list goes on. Global health is broad in scope, and each one of us may approach our work in slightly different way.

Academics have tried to define global health in past. Perhaps the most well-known and widely accepted definition of global health is that of Koplan et al. from 2009:

“Global health is an area for study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide” [1].

While this definition touches on many important aspects of global health like equity, and a worldwide reach, it fails to address the “how.” We can study, research and practice global health, but what are the best ways to engage in our work? How do we find common ground?

I must admit, I don’t have the answers to these complex questions (yet), but I’m hoping that in the near future the global health community comes together to arrive at a solution. Until then, these are questions we should all be cognizant of when we approach our work in global health. Just like Koplan et al. called for the adoption of a common definition in global health in 2009, I am calling for an updated, universal definition of global health in 2016.

Why is it important to come to a consensus on what global health means? As global health continues to grow and become a part of our everyday lives, we must come together to determine a more clear purpose, and path for the future. With everyone working with a common framework in mind, towards shared goals, we will achieve the best outcomes moving forward.

Mobile Outreach Street Health – An Interview with Becky Marval

March 29, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

The MOSH van, which acts as a mobile treatment centre for underserved populations in the HRM (Source: GHO Blog, 2012).

Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH) has provided accessible primary care services to several underserved populations in the Halifax area since 2009: those who are homeless, insecurely housed and street involved. You may recognize the MOSH van (pictured above), which travels around the community acting as a mobile treatment centre. The MOSH website provides a comprehensive overview of their relationship-based care model, as well as their weekly schedule. In order to learn more about this amazing community organization, we interviewed Becky Marval, who works as an occupational therapist (OT) with MOSH.

How large is the population you serve?

The number of individuals who stayed in a homeless shelter in the Halifax Regional Municipality was 1,973 in 2011 [1]. However, not all those that MOSH serves are homeless, and MOSH does not serve the entire homeless population. According to a 2011 North End Community Health Centre program evaluation, MOSH had an average of 350-400 encounters per month [2].

You work as part of an interdisciplinary team. What members are on that team, and why do you think an interdisciplinary approach is important?

The core team has two full-time nurses, along with a part-time OT (Becky), a few part-time family physicians and part-time “jack-of-all-trades” administrative support. There is also a Housing First branch at MOSH, consisting of team lead EJ Davis and four intensive case managers, with support from an OT and a mental health outreach nurse through a partnership with the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

There are lots of reasons an interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach is important. One would be that the folks we’re seeing have complex needs that require different perspectives as well as different personalities. Relationship-based care requires that we have many different options for people, necessitating differences in personalities and skills. We are also able to share and learn from each other because of these different approaches. A transdisciplinary team has overlap and shared responsibilities that aren’t anyone’s job in particular, like handing out food or bus tickets. We also don’t have a social worker on the team, so wherever the scope permits, we stretch our scope as long as it can be ethically stretched in order to help the people we serve in terms of resource navigation. Having an interdisciplinary team allows us to do our work in a more holistic fashion.

What types of services do you provide as an Occupational Therapist with MOSH?

The types of services I provide are pretty broad. Occupational therapy is focused on allowing individuals to perform their activities of daily living (ADLs), like helping them take care of themselves or their apartment, assisting with mobility and transport, coping with chronic disease (both physical and addictions), and helping them find work or schooling. The focus on occupation can also mean helping individuals to determine meaningful things to do with their time, and how to adapt despite various challenges.

As previously mentioned, the role has to be broad because our team doesn’t have other specialist like a social worker or recreation therapist. Another piece of this work is helping to change the environment so it meets the needs of people. This can involve anything from working toward policy changes, to education around common topics that can be troublesome for staff that are trying to help clients, to building a ramp with limited resources to improve accessibility. There are a couple recent MOSH initiatives that benefit the population in innovative ways. The first is matching people with donated bikes, helmets and locks to facilitate mobility. The other is our history project, where people are encouraged to tell their stories. This provides a bit of a diving board for people to see themselves as experts and share their wisdom.

Have you partnered with Dalhousie University before? If so, in what capacity?

We have an established partnership with Dalhousie Dentistry as part of another partnership with the North End Clinic. This involves a dental clinic a few days per week where dental students come and practice under supervision. MOSH constantly has Dalhousie students from a variety of backgrounds doing work and service placements. A lot of student projects look for real life problems and situations, and MOSH can provide them with the opportunity to conduct program evaluations and literature reviews.

What do you think describes an effective partnership?

Aspects that are helpful include communication and mutual regard (respect, trust and awareness of strengths and weaknesses). Things that are not helpful include territoriality, guarding/protection of resources, and only looking out for oneself. Partnerships require similar philosophies, or at least the ability to arrive at a common ground or purpose. Finally, partnerships need to make sense for the target population. With MOSH that means achieving effectiveness with limited resources.

What do you find most rewarding about your work with MOSH?

I find it really rewarding when I’m surprised at how well things can work out. I shouldn’t be surprised anymore, but just when I think we’ve run out of options, it’s very rewarding to find out we have endless possibilities and options to consider! It makes me hopeful, and reminds me there’s no reason to ever give up.

All of us at the GHO would like to thank Becky for taking time out of her busy schedule to be interviewed! If you are interested in getting involved with MOSH by becoming a committed volunteer or by donating, their contact information is available online. For more information, you can also follow MOSH on Twitter.

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