AEGiS-15IAC: International HIV clinical capacity building: lessons learned from the US AIDS education and training centers.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

International HIV clinical capacity building: lessons learned from the US AIDS education and training centers.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10369)

Reyes EM, Downer AE
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States

ISSUES: Clinical human capacity development is a significant and timely challenge in countries that anticipate funding for ARV medication. US models of clinical care may not be replicable in countries with less health care infrastructure.

DESCRIPTION: The Health Resources and Services Administration established the International Training and Education Center on HIV (I-TECH) in 2002 in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I-TECH provides training and technical assistance for the ongoing development of clinical training systems that are locally determined, optimally resourced, highly responsive and self-sustaining in countries/regions hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic. I-TECH is tasked with tapping into the extensive experience and lessons learned from the US AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) Program. The AETC is a network of 11 regional centers that conducts targeted, multi-disciplinary education/training programs for clinicians treating persons with HIV in all 50 State s, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the six U. S. Pacific Jurisdictions. The AETC Program increases the number of health care providers who are effectively educated and motivated to counsel, diagnose, treat, and medically manage individuals with HIV infection.

LESSONS LEARNED: Lessons learned from the US experience include the need to link teaching and instructional design expertise with local HIV clinical expertise; acknowledging that training efforts require resources, ongoing support and infrastructure; use of targeted workplans based on targeted HIV clinical training needs assessment data; and recruiting the right trainees to develop an effective HIV clinical workforce. The turnover of staff, often working in remote service sites, and the need for a multidisciplinary effort are key issues to be addressed.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Lessons learned from the US AETC network (rather than replication of US-based models) can inform and improve plans to increase human capacity in resource con strained countries hardest hit by the HIV epidemic.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Health Education, United States Health Resources and Services, Administration, Learning, Health Personnel, Disease Outbreaks, Health Planning, Research, Teaching, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, Humans, prevention & control, education, organization & administration, psychology

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