Establishing Disease Registries

/in /by

In Tajikistan, PASHA is working with the Ministry of Health and physician leaders to establish disease registries for patients with eye disease and other conditions. Our team is providing technical support and education to local physicians on use of computer software. We are also providing information technology support for these activities. With the introduction of registries, a patient can visit different facilities and have his or her information accessible to different physicians who can add to the registry. This increases coordination and communication among physicians, which could lead to improved patient care outcomes.

Data from the disease registries will also help Ministry of Health officials, public health professionals, and researchers collect more accurate data on common disease trends and design intervention programs. Recognizing that diseases of the eye and skin are linked to other chronic conditions such as diabetes, we are working with primary care physicians and internists to establish a registry for diabetes patients and to document the complications of diabetes such as diabetic retinopathy.

Language Education for Healthcare Staff

/in /by

In Tajikistan, most medical education takes place in Russian and only recently has there been a move towards incorporating English-based medical education in medical school curricula. As a former Soviet country, most Tajiks speak Russian as a second language and not English. This includes many physicians and other healthcare providers.

In order to provide physicians and other healthcare professionals with the opportunity to more easily access the international medical literature, to communicate with colleagues from other countries, to participate in academic exchanges, and to attend international conferences, PASHA has designed and implemented English language courses for skin care and eye care providers. These classes take place at the hospital several evenings after working hours, making them easily accessible to providers who are interested in learning English. The number of participants per course is kept limited, in order to ensure that trainees can get the most out of the classes.

Advancing Skin Care for Children in Nepal

/in /by

In the summer of 2016, PASHA established an ongoing collaboration between the Society for Pediatric Dermatology and DI Skin Hospital and Referral Center in Kathmandu. With support from Health Volunteers Overseas, an educational exchange was established, whereby specialists in pediatric skin disease from the United States travel to Nepal several times a year to exchange ideas with Nepali experts, provide training to residents, and support patient care activities. This ongoing collaboration, which continues to this date, has enhanced the level of knowledge for dermatologists in Nepal and better prepared them to provide care for children with skin disease in the community.

Bringing Teledermatology to Tajikistan

/in /by

Telemedicine technology and in particular, teledermatology is a modern solution for connecting patients from more distant or remote areas to medical care. Telemedicine technology has a lot of potential in Tajikistan given that the majority of the country is made up of mountainous terrain and traveling to the capital city of Dushanbe can be difficult especially in the winter when weather conditions are poor.  In January 2017, with a grant from the American Academy of Dermatology, we introduced store and forward teledermatology for the first time in Tajikistan. The idea behind this initiative was to allow referring dermatologists from different parts of Tajikistan to consult the most experienced dermatologists in the capital using telemedicine. The PASHA team, working with local leaders, provided the technology and training in the use of software and hardware, taking advantage of Google Drive as a free program that is easy to use and secure. Thus far, more than 200 patients have received care using this portal and with new support from the American Academy of Dermatology, the project is currently undergoing expansion and is being incorporated into resident teaching.

Introducing Low Cost Treatments for Lower Extremity Wounds

/in /by

Lower extremity wounds are a major source of disability in patients as they can cause a lot of pain and make it hard for patients to walk. Although lower extremity wounds are very common, treatments can be difficult for patients to access because of the costs involved and the extended period of time that treatments are required. One treatment for lower extremity ulcers is the Unna boot, but these pre-manufactured boots can cost more than 10 US Dollars for a one week treatment course. This makes Unna boots unaffordable to many people especially in low- and middle-income countries.

PASHA recently introduced a program for local physicians and nurses across Tajikistan, training them to locally source Unna boots using ingredients that are readily available at local pharmacies. This program, which was modeled on a similar project implemented in Kenya, allows local pharmacies and health facilities to produce these boots at under 2 US Dollars.

PASHA has held workshops across Tajikistan for physicians in all three oblasts (Khatlon, Sughd, Gorno Badakhshan) and the Region of Republican Subordination, training dermatologists, family medicine physicians, surgeons, and nursing staff on the methods of preparation and use of Unna Boots. Thus far, more than 100 providers across Tajikistan have been trained in this method and the local public pharmacies are working to make these boots available to patients at rates that are affordable to most Tajiks.