Trainees 'Learn The Ropes' During Intensive Course Hosted By Aga Khan Health Services

TWENTY FOUR mid-level mana-gers of the community-based development program from several NGOs and Ministry of Health have been trained by the Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya (AKHS,K).

A three weeks course organized by Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya in partnership with the Aga Khan University, Karachi aimed to prepare the trainees to be more responsive to the community's need and in managing and planning the developmental activities in partnership with the community.

The training was facilitated by the senior faculty members of the Aga Khan University and the staff from AKHS,K. The training was subsidised by the funding support from AKF/EC and DFID.

Aga Khan Health Services Kenya has considerable experience in the management of Community-Based Health and Development Programs. It is one of the pioneer NGO in Kenya to initiate the community-based primary health care activities.

"AKHS,K, now intends to broaden its mandate by equipping community based managers with the required managerial capacity by sharing its experience and training", said Dr. Salim Sohani, the Director, Community Health Program, AKHS, K on the occasion of the certificate distribution ceremony.

The three weeks course ended on May 5 1998 when the certificate distribution ceremony took place at the Southern Palm Beach Hotel at the south Coast. He further added that the training is not an end in itself it is rather a means to achieve the larger goal to improve the quality of life of the Kenyans and advised participants to put into practice all the skills acquired during the training.

The occasion was also graced by Mr. Alnoor Kanji, member of the Board of Directors, AKHS, K who affirmed the commitment of AKHS,K to provide leadership in health by providing exemplary services both through the hospital and the community based health care programs.

He further added that such training is right in time for effective and efficient management of scarce resources. 'The right approach in developmental project is needed to enter into the twenty first century. Mr. lan Cripweil, CEO, Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa, mentioned that the Hospital intends to serve the larger community by supporting the community-based activities initiated by AKHS, K.

He added that the Hospital will provide the expertise to train the government dispensary nurses in the Kwale project area in improving the diagnostic and curative skills, thus enhancing the quality of care.

Mr. Nyamu the Program Co-Ordinator, Kwale PHC project thanked all the participants and emphasized that this is just the beginning of the journey and suggested that a proper follow-up will be required to achieve the expected result.

The participants expressed their gratitude to AKHS, K for organising such a training which was very informative and provided them with an opportunity to master the state-of-art. They requested AKHS, K to organise similar training in the future. While distributing the certificate Dr. Sohani announced that a similar training with the technical support from Aga Khan University will be organised in October 1998.