Intensive training course in Tropical Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Nigeria

a.    Concept: Current trends in the spread and the appearance of tropical diseases in areas of the World, where previously they have never been observed (like chikungunya fever, malaria, dengue, etc.), prompted Health Authorities to pay more attention to this ever increasing group of diseases. The curriculum of medical students in the EU countries do not pay much attention to the importance of those diseases, which can be easily imported by travelers or by migrants coming from third world countries. The cooperating partners of ABU and HDF MC decided to organize on site training courses in Africa, where participants would be able to see the real circumstances of the health care in a tropical country working with minimal resources, and to see, touch, perform physical examinations, take medical history of the patients and submerge in a totally different approach and culture to gain a better understanding and knowledge of diseases in the tropics, which is not similar, to participating at a slide show at home.

b.    Structure: The training course will last for three weeks and it contains 60 contact lectures (4/day), and 30 lectures as practical/laboratory training with external teaching options. The course will end with an examination. The course will start daily from Monday to Friday at 9AM till 13 PM with lectures. and from 2PM to 4PM with the practical/laboratory training, which includes ward rounds, and laboratory practice, case demonstrations, etc. The curriculum of the course comprehensively covers the major diseases in the tropics and can be downloaded from the website.

c.    Technical information: The site of the training course is Nigeria, Zaria town, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Teaching Hospital and the main campus of the University. The proposed time and duration of the course is 11-th of January 2016 – 30-th Jan. 2016. Lodging and catering can be arranged within the premises of ABU at the main campus.
d.    Financing: Tuition fee of the course for the three weeks is 1500€/person, which can not be split, if someone decides to go home after 1 week. The amount can be reimbursed, if someone, due to serious reason, is not able to participate, can not travel to the site. If he/she has already started the course, or the revoke of the participation is within 2 weeks from the beginning, the tuition fee can not be reimbursed. The amount must arrive min. of 4 weeks before the beginning of the training course to the bank account of the organizing agency. Other costs: travel arrangements are individually organized. International flights from EU to Abuja and back is @ 800-1000 € depending on the carrier. From Abuja to Zaria and back by surface transport (@ 300 km) can be calculated as 50€/person (to and fro). Lodging and catering might be arranged within the premises of ABU at an approximate price of @ 30-40€/day/person.  The youth hostel is equipped with internet, TV, separate bath rooms/person. The average cost for daily expenditures can be calculated as 10-20€/person/day. Participants are expected to buy individual insurances, which includes health, accident, loss of life, loss of property, emergency evacuation, etc.

e.    Other information, requirements: The course is organized for those students who completed microbiology, pharmacology and have some clinical knowledge also. The optimal student is who completed the fourth year in their study and above (in their final year). The minimum requirement is the completion of the fourth year. The minimum number of students is 15, the maximum is 30. Below 15, the course can not be started and the tuition fee will be reimbursed for those, who paid already. In the case of high demand, the students can be enrolled for a parallel or consecutive training course.

f.    Application: The websites of the cooperating institutions will have an application form to fill with all the necessary information. Applications must arrive before the 1-st of December 2015.

Contact person: BEÁTA HUNFALVY
Email: coursetropmed@gmail.com