ICEHA in the News

Nepal gives ICEHA clinical mentors the responsibility to create HIV treatment expertise among the local healthcare workers

New York, NY – January 8, 2007 – The International Center for Equal Healthcare Access (ICEHA) announces deployment of its first clinical mentor to Nepal in order to rapidly scale-up clinical expertise in HIV care amongst the Nepalese healthcare workers. ICEHA’s first clinical mentor to Nepal is a highly experienced HIV physician from NYC who deployed in December to spend 6 weeks in two district hospitals in Northwestern Nepal coaching local colleagues on how to provide the best HIV care possible given their available resources. ARVs are now being introduced in zonal hospitals in the Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Northwestern Nepal but the clinical expertise on how to provide these medications to the patients is non existent.

“Developing countries that do make ARVs available in their national pharmacies and hospitals are increasingly confronted with the reality that their healthcare workers lack the practical clinical expertise and operational systems to prescribe the medications. These medications are still a novelty overseas and in many regions the healthcare workforce has only received a 2 week didactic course on HIV care. They lack the practical skills, confidence and necessary experience with operational systems that are so unique to HIV care,” explains Dr. Marie Charles, Chair and CEO of ICEHA. “ICEHA clinical mentors solve this need by transferring their practical skills directly to their counterparts using an innovative method of coaching. As a result, ultimately and extremely rapidly, our local colleagues can manage their patient load on their own. When their assignment is complete, ICEHA clinical mentors leave behind access to HIV care for thousands of patients per clinic when no access existed beforehand.”

Nepal, since 1997, has seen an alarming increase of HIV infections among high risk populations. Currently the HIV epidemic is recognized to be at a turning point where swift action is necessary to contain the potential for wide spread HIV infections. It is estimated that only 1% of the HIV-infected patients who need antiretroviral therapy (“anti-AIDS” drugs) actually receive it. ICEHA’s partners in Nepal are Family Health International (FHI) and the Nepalese Ministry of Health.

Positions are open for short-term volunteer clinical mentoring in Nepal as well as ICEHA’s additional country programs in: Vietnam, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia, South Africa and Lesotho for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants. Volunteer assignments are 6-12 weeks, all expenses are paid. Stipends are available for longer placements. Visit iceha.org or email at [email protected] for more information.

About The International Center for Equal Healthcare Access
The International Center for Equal Healthcare Access (ICEHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated since in New Jersey and a registered charity in the UK. ICEHA's clinical mentoring programs are designed to rapidly scale up the HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention skills of local medical workforce within the existing resource limitations in their clinics. Typically within a few months hundreds if not thousands of patients have access to care when none existed before. Nepal represents ICEHA’s 7th country program. ICEHA clinical mentors will enter three additional country programs in 2007 sending clinical mentors to 10 countries around the world.