HCI extends its gratitude to global medical experts for providing guidance and advice

16-04-2010

Health Connections International (HCI) would like to thank several international medical experts for their participation and contribution thus far to our programme activities. In its efforts to strengthen healthcare systems and improve responses to the HIV, TB and drug use epidemics, HCI has developed a Knowledge- and Information-Sharing Platform (KISP). This web-based platform facilitates the exchange of information, knowledge and expertise between non-English speaking healthcare providers in Central Asia and their English-speaking colleagues from across the globe on a variety of issues and topics.

For the last few months, HCI’s KISP has been in the final stages of internal testing. A crucial part of this testing has involved the participation of leading international experts from several fields who have volunteered their time by answering questions posted by healthcare professionals in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the following experts for their support of our activities:

• Dr. Robert Belknap (Assistant Director of the Denver Metro TB Clinic, Denver Public Health Department) for answering questions on tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
• Dr Mark Nelson (Consultant Physician on HIV at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK) for answering questions on HIV and AIDS.
• Dr Alexander Panteleev (Head of the Department of HIV/TB Co-Infected Patients, St. Petersburg City Tuberculosis Hospital and Expert on Tuberculosis at St. Petersburg City AIDS Centre, Russian Federation) for answering questions on tuberculosis.
• Dr. Emilis Subata (Director at the Vilnius Centre for Addictive Disorders, Vilnius University Psychiatry Clinic) for answering questions on drug treatment.
• Dr Alex Wodak (Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service, St. Stevens Hospital, Sydney, Australia) for answering questions on drug use and harm reduction.
• Dr Maria Zolfo (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium) for answering questions on HIV and AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Details regarding the beta ready launch of HCI’s KISP will be announced in the nearest future.

For now, HCI thanks the above individuals for their assistance and looks forward to the continued participation of leading international experts in helping make KISP a success.