PEPFAR-funded Partnership is Strengthening Namibia's Capacity to Fight HIV/AIDS through Curriculum Development, Faculty Training
WASHINGTON, DC, March 11, 2008—Some Three experts from the Polytechnic of Namibia are in Little Rock this week working side-by-side with counterparts at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to begin curriculum development for a new bachelor's degree program in medical technology established recently at the Polytechnic's Windhoek campus.
Medical technologists play a crucial role in HIV/AIDS care, informing decisions related to life-saving antiretroviral therapy by providing CD4 counts, basic metabolic profiles, and other critical diagnostics. In Namibia, an estimated 21 percent of the country's 2 million inhabitants are living with HIV or AIDS, yet there are only 160 medical technologists currently working in the country. The infrastructure and expertise necessary to train additional laboratory professionals does not exist.
Launched by the HIV/AIDS Twinning Center in December 2007, the Windhoek/Little Rock partnership is working to change that. Thanks to funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), partners are developing a university level curriculum in medical technology, along with related training and faculty development materials.
During this first professional exchange to the United States, Polytechnic of Namibia decision makers Dr. Tjama Tjivikua, Neavera Olivier, and Andre Cronje are getting a first-hand look at successful medical technology training programs in action at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The exchange includes tours of the Arkansas Department of Public Health Laboratories, campus labs, and teaching facilities, as well as several opportunities to observe classes. Partners will then work together to chart a course of action for developing a medical technology program targeted to the needs and conditions in Namibia.
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