Photo of Samuel Tadesse and a young community member, courtesy of Theo Angell and Maria Gargiulo.
On January 25, Ethiopia, and the world, lost a treasured advocate and leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS: Samuel Tadesse.
Samuel, who discovered he was HIV positive in 2004, turned his diagnosis into action, founding the Debre Mitmaq Association at the Tsadkane holy water well. The Association is a partnership between the Orthodox Church and secular efforts to encourage antiretroviral therapy (ART) for those infected. It is a crucial alliance that has resulted in a shelter providing HIV testing, counseling, ART, and care for more than 1,300 people. More than that, it is a community of love, support, and rehabilitation. Read more about Samuel’s work with I-TECH at the Tsadkane holy water well.
Samuel Tadesse — and his enthusiasm, selflessness, and determination — will be greatly missed.
The following video was created by Theo Angell and Maria Gargiulo during a February 2011 visit to the well:
Workshop participants were particularly interested in team problem solving.
This month, the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Ukraine, sensitized heads and other managers of HIV/AIDS clinics and centers on how to implement continuous quality improvement (CQI) by applying an approach known as the Clinical Assessment for Systems Strengthening, or ClASS, model.
The MOH’s Center of Public Health and I-TECH Ukraine held a two-day ClASS sensitization workshop for HIV clinicians from seven regions of Ukraine that are new to ClASS. The ClASS approach addresses CQI and identifies areas for improvement and assessment as well as detailed follow-up actions.
Presentation of the model was supplemented by reports and success stories shared by teams from Cherkasy, Kyiv, Chernivtsi Oblast, and Kryviy Rig City AIDS Centers, along with other sites that participated in ClASS between 2014 and 2016. The exchange of this experience proved effective in ensuring buy-in from new regions and raised their interest in and excitement about the model and its potential impact.
I-TECH’s Iryna Yuryeva presents the ClASS model to the workshop.
I-TECH Ukraine Program Director Iryna Yuryeva, who presented the ClASS model, said she was encouraged by the response to the workshop. Perceptions among the new audience shifted “amazingly quickly” she said, “from extreme concern, anxiety, and belief that almost nothing can and should be improved at their health care facilities to sincere and passionate interest and impatient anticipation of ClASS visits in the coming months.”
Participants expressed keen interest in the ClASS approach, which emphasizes team problem-solving and joint identification of ways to improve assessment, develop operational and strategic plans, and seek technical assistance when needed to address gaps. In addition, ClASS could also be helpful for health care facilities preparing for formal accreditation by addressing assessment-based practical recommendations.
The “real-life cases and improvements” reported by the participating clinicians, and their ability to exchange experiences and proactively tackle main areas for improvement, were highlights of the training. This is all part of the ClASS methodology, a process that I-TECH’s Yurveya says demonstrates a “natural and evolutionary continuous quality improvement.”
I-TECH Ukraine will continue to support the MOH by promoting the ClASS approach as part of the CQI process in Ukraine, in particular by conducting additional ClASS trainings in seven new regions in 2017.
THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA) OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) UNDER U91HA06801, THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER (IAETC). THE CONTENT OF THIS POST IS THE AUTHOR’S AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS THE OFFICIAL POSITION OR POLICY OF, NOR SHOULD ANY ENDORSEMENTS BE INFERRED BY HRSA, HHS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
Mentor Dailes Nsofwa from CDC Zambia presents a certificate of completion to Kenneth Ngoma from Kasama General Hospital Laboratory.
At a December ceremony in Lusaka, Zambia, a group of health laboratory supervisors completed the Certificate Program in Laboratory Leadership and Management, a blended-learning course developed and conducted by faculty and staff the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) at the University of Washington. The program was implemented in partnership with the American International Health Alliance (AIHA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Zambian Ministry of Health (MOH).
Effective leadership and management in laboratory settings are critical to providing timely detection, surveillance, and response to infectious diseases. Strengthening these skills has a direct, positive effect on quality of care and the capacity of low-resource countries to reach epidemic control.
The 16 managers, recruited from MOH public health laboratories, participated in nine months of online learning, face-to-face meetings, and mentorship. Courses covered leadership and management skills, and also topics related to implementing diagnostic technology, managing and communicating laboratory information. Participants also designed and implemented a capstone project designed to improve their laboratories’ operations. Online modules were developed with support from the UW Department of Global Health’s E-Learning Program (eDGH).
This certificate program is intended for middle- to senior-level clinical and public health laboratory leaders such as managers and directors, medical technologists, health scientists, and physician scientists interested in improving medical laboratory operations and evidence-based health policymaking. The blended-learning format allows participants to remain employed during their studies.
This project was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U91HA06801, the International AIDS Education and Training Center (IAETC). The content of this post is the author’s and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Study tour participants visit HRSA offices in Washington, D.C., to hear more about HRSA’s mission and activities.
Ukraine has the second largest HIV epidemic in eastern and central Europe; an estimated 220,000 citizens were living with the disease as of January 2016. As part of national efforts to help curb the impact and spread of HIV, the Ukrainian government is expanding and scaling up HIV services – training is an integral part of this scale-up.
To this end, the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) is working with national partners in Ukraine to build local capacity to provide high-quality continuing medical education (CME) on HIV and related topics.
Most recently, I-TECH arranged for representatives from the Ukrainian Center for Socially Dangerous Disease Control (UCDC) of the Ministry of Health and the Ukrainian Family Medicine Training Center, based at Bogomolets National Medical University, to participate in a weeklong study tour in Washington, D.C.
“Participants found the study tour to be extremely informative and timely given reforms to health workforce development currently under way in Ukraine,” said Anna Shapoval, I-TECH Ukraine Country Representative. “The information obtained and contacts established through the study tour will help to inform development of an HIV-focused professional medical association in Ukraine.”
The aim of the association will be to advocate on behalf of medical providers, educate health professionals on new developments in clinical practice and relevant legislation and other issues affecting HIV medicine and patients, and potentially provide crucial CME opportunities.
Tour participants met with representatives from CME training networks, HIV-focused professional medical associations, and organizations involved with CME accreditation and physician licensure in the U.S. Highlights from the tour include:
Meeting with the U.S. Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on HRSA’s mission and activities, including the AIDS Education Training Center Program and other initiatives to improve HIV services in the U.S.
Informative sessions with the Maryland State Board of Physicians and Federation of State Medical Boards on the role of state medical boards in physician licensure
An overview and discussion on CME accreditation requirements and standards for commercial support
Meetings with various HIV-focused professional medical associations to discuss their establishment, funding models, advocacy work, CME and certification offerings, and lessons learned
The study tour participants identified several aspects of the U.S. CME and licensure systems to explore further and potentially apply in Ukraine, including decentralized licensure, nongovernmental CME accreditation, and diverse CME providers such as universities and professional associations.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U91HA06801, the International AIDS Education and Training Center (IAETC). The content of this post is the author’s and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Dr. Chris Behrens (center) and participants at a pilot training event in Uzhgorod.
In June 2016, the academic and professional communities involved in training family physicians and general practitioners in Ukraine received another valuable guide to a highly sensitive topic.
The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Family Medicine Training Center (UFMTC) at the Bogomolets National Medical University (NMU), and the International Renaissance Foundation, all under the auspices of the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Ukraine, published “Use of Narcotic, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors in the Practice of Family Medicine.” This facilitator’s guide (published in Ukrainian) was developed by Ukrainian and international experts in the fields of palliative care, controlled drug use, and pain management.
“The uniqueness of this publication is its extremely topical and, until recently, understated issue in Ukraine: provision of medical care with the use of controlled drugs, including opioid analgetics,” said Kateryna Amosova, Rector of the Bogomolets NMU.
The guide incorporates recent, groundbreaking updates in Ukrainian legislation. Resolution #333 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and Order #494 of the MoH legitimize primary health care providers to prescribe and manage opioids for pain management in palliative care and opioid substitution therapy (OST).
“I-TECH Ukraine was honored to be able contribute to the development of the in-service training course that promotes most progressive principles of palliative care and OST provision for patients, including those with HIV, tuberculosis, and other HIV-associated diseases,” said Anna Shapoval, Country Representative for I-TECH Ukraine. “As always, we express our profound gratitude to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, HRSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC in Ukraine, and the International Renaissance Foundation for supporting this project.”
The goal of this training curriculum is to provide participants with the skills and knowledge required to form competencies in applying narcotic, psychotropic substances, and their precursors in the practice of family medicine, specifically in combination with treatment of drug addiction, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.
Participants work at the pilot training in Uzhgorod.
The guide is based on the results of three pilot training events that took place in October through December 2015 in Uzhgorod and Kyiv. Dr. Chris Behrens, Clinical Associate Professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Global Health, co-facilitated the first event in Uzhgorod. Dr. Behrens also co-authored the guide, along with leading experts from the Bogomolets NMU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine for the Drug Use Control, the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Clinical Center for Palliative Care, the Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih City AIDS Centers, and the International Renaissance Foundation.
The course covers such essential themes as:
The role of family physicians and primary health care facilities in using narcotic and psychotropic drugs and their precursors;
Legal and organizational principles of applying narcotic and psychotropic drugs and their precursors in primary health care practice in Ukraine;
Mental health; pre-conditions and types of opioid addiction; HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in IDUs; palliative and hospice care;
Principles and use of opioid maintenance therapy in primary health care, including the patients living with HIV/AIDS; and
Principles and use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs and their precursors in provision of palliative and hospice care, including patients living with HIV/AIDS.
The MoH of Ukraine recommends this guide as a tutorial for clinical interns and doctors enrolled in in-service or continuous medical education training programs, as well as for faculty of the Ukrainian medical universities and colleges that train doctors and nurses as general practitioners and family doctors. The guide has been already disseminated to about 60 medical universities and the largest medical colleges in Ukraine.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U91HA06801, the International AIDS Education and Training Center (IAETC). The content of this post is the author’s and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
On June 17, Dr. Robert Martin, University of Washington professor and Director of Laboratory Systems Strengthening at UW’s International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), will receive the American Society for Microbiology’s 2016 Hologic Joseph Public Health Award at the ASM Microbe 2016 conference in Boston.
The award takes its name from J. Mehsen Joseph, who directed the Maryland State Laboratory for decades and was instrumental in working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expand the role of public health laboratories.
“When someone receives an honor like this, it reflects not only on the individual but on the institution and its leadership, which have provided an environment for accomplishments,” said Dr. Martin. “That has certainly been true of UW and I-TECH.
“This award means a lot to me,” Dr. Martin continued, “because as director of the Michigan Public Health Laboratories, I knew and worked closely with Dr. Joseph on a number of national projects through the Association of Public Health Laboratories. He was a great individual and a great leader for public health laboratory science.”
Prior to his post at UW, Dr. Martin served as director of the Division of Laboratory Systems at the CDC, launching the National Laboratory System to link private and public sector laboratories. His engagement of participating private sector laboratories established working relationships between public and private sector laboratories that extend to the present. He also contributed to integrating the laboratory role into CDC’s Field Epidemiology and Training Program and the inclusion of laboratory systems as part of CDC’s international activities, notably in China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Previously Dr. Martin served with the Michigan Department of Community Health, becoming state laboratory director in 1991. There he participated in the development of the first national guidelines for laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease and established a state-of-the-art molecular testing service.
Dr. Martin will deliver a lecture at ASM Microbe on June 17 titled “Strengthening Laboratory Systems Globally – Thinking Beyond the Bench,” in which he’ll talk about I-TECH’s efforts in laboratory systems strengthening in resource-limited countries.
ASM Microbe 2016 gathers the world’s leading scientists, physicians, and researchers to exchange ideas and keep abreast of the latest developments and cutting-edge research. The Opening Keynote Session, titled “A Conversation with Bill Gates: Bringing the Frontiers of Science to the Front Lines of Development,” will feature Bill Gates in an interview with Dr. Richard Besser, Chief Health and Medical Editor at ABC News.
A PMTCT Client Retention training includes tablet-based self-study modules.
In Zimbabwe, health care workers often need to build confidence and skills in caring for HIV-positive infants and children. The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) has employed an innovative approach to support these front-line staff – a case-based, self-study PMTCT Client Retention training.
During the introductory session, participants are oriented to the course, given self-study tips, loaned tablets and instructed on their use, and given a pre-course assessment. Participants also attend a half-day classroom session at the beginning and end of the five-week course.
A WhatsApp discussion group is also set up to send messages of motivation and reminders and for participants to share issues during the course. WhatsApp is widely used in Zimbabwe as an inexpensive mobile phone platform to message individuals and groups.
WhatsApp for collaborative problem solving
Elizabeth is a primary care nurse who was among a cohort of 30 participants in one of these trainings, conducted in Mashonaland Central Province. About one week into the course, Elizabeth faced a situation at work where she was confused about how to apply national guidelines to one of her pediatric patient cases. Elizabeth chose to bring the issue to her training cohort. Below is a sample of the discussion that ensued among several members of the group, showing that a number of the cohort were similarly perplexed:
Elizabeth: A woman came to our clinic. She was ill. She wanted to get tested because she was ill for a long time on and off. The woman tested positive. Because she is breastfeeding an 11-month-old baby l commenced her on Option B+. l tested the baby with antibody RDT [rapid diagnostic test] and tested negative. l commenced the baby on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. The question is: Was it necessary for the baby to be given NVP [nevirapine] prophylaxis since the baby tested negative and is now 11 months OR should l give the baby NVP prophylaxis for 6wks from now????
Elizabeth received a range of responses from her cohort:
NVP is only given from birth up to six weeks. Commence mother on Option B+, baby on cotr prophylaxis collect confirmatory DBS [dried blood spots] for the child.
I agree with ~nr
Cotr prophylaxis and confirmatory DBS only for the baby. Thanks guys.
Baby should still get NVP for six wks since still breastfeeding — meaning baby is still exposed.
As per NVP shld be given — the first dose at birth, the second dose 48hrs after first dose, then third dose 96hrs after second dose. Prophylaxis shld be given as soon after delivery as possible. When prophylaxis is delayed the less likely that the infection will be prevented.
By age of 14 days, infection already would be established in most infants. So l think it’s not necessary to give NVP as prophylaxis.
One member of the cohort was a district nursing officer (DNO). He shared that he had deliberately delayed responding until others had weighed in. He not only gave advice but also encouraged the group to refresh themselves on the resources available on their tablets:
Sorry for a late response. Remember key things in your scenario: mother is positive, baby is breastfeeding and is 11 months. … Infant is still at risk, therefore cotri prophy, infant feeding counselling and a continuation of routine FCH [family and child health] care will help. Then 6wks after stopping breastfeeding conduct rapid HIV test again. If negative stop cotri prophy and continue routine care. If positive CT cotri prophy, initiate ART.
He then referred Elizabeth to an algorithm in the national ART guidelines, which were included for easy reference in an application on the participants’ tablets.
This exchange showed the potential use of WhatsApp for support in clinical decision making, in the absence of a warmline for consultation. Upon returning to the classroom, participants engaged in discussion around the WhatsApp conversations, with particular attention paid to the case that Elizabeth had brought to the group. Other members of the cohort reported that they had watched the exchange with interest though they did not contribute.
The cohort members reported that the case was educational for them, and many of them indicated that they would like to continue their group for ongoing support.
As for Elizabeth’s young client, a rapid test was collected and returned negative. Results of the DNA test are still being awaited by the group with much interest. As one member wrote: “We cannot afford to lose that child, wherever she is. … She is still our child.”
The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) is presenting three posters at the 7th Annual Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) conference in San Francisco on April 9-11. The theme of this year’s conference is “Bridging to a Sustainable Future in Global Health.”
A critical component in sustainability is the ability to collect accurate and meaningful data through electronic medical records (EMRs) – the subject of two abstracts from the I-TECH Kenya team.
In addition, online learning and electronic learning (e-learning) provides opportunities for health care workers in resource-limited settings to gain critical knowledge and skills while minimizing their need to leave the workplace.
In close partnership with the University of Washington Department of Global Health’s eLearning Initiative (eDGH), I-TECH piloted e-learning modules for KenyaEMR and transitioned the HIV management diploma program at the University of the West Indies into a blended learning program that incorporates online courses.
The transcript tab allows learners to read along with the narration.
Since 2012, the Kenyan Ministry of Health, PEPFAR, and partners have supported implementation of electronic medical record systems (EMRs) at more than 600 public-sector health facilities. The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) has supported scale-up at more than 300 of these sites.
However, implementation is just part of the story. Successful, sustained use of EMR data depends upon the knowledge and skills of front-line health care workers. To address this need, I-TECH and eDGH developed and piloted two interactive e-learning modules on EMR data quality and EMR data for decision-making.
I-TECH and eDGH found that facility staff were motivated to use EMR e-learning modules and apply what they had learned. Participants found the content relevant to their jobs and cited an interest in additional scenarios and modules. Self-paced e-learning modules were determined to be a viable solution for standardizing sustainable training on EMR systems.
To support progressive EMR data quality improvement, I-TECH developed a Routine Data Quality Assessment (RDQA) standard operating procedure and analysis tool. The RDQA procedure was defined in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and integrated within existing policies and procedures.
From 2014 to 2015, 180 baseline and repeat assessments were conducted. I-TECH supported facility personnel to share results during county-level EMR review meetings; these presentations motivated other sites to plan for RDQAs and fostered a culture of ongoing data quality improvement. The RDQA procedure for EMR data has now been institutionalized as a method for progressively improving EMR data quality in Kenya.
In partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), eDGH and I-TECH transitioned a one-year diploma program in the Management of HIV Infection to a blended learning platform that combines online courses with either a clinical practicum or a research project.
The shift in pedagogy, methodologies, and technologies was achieved through a three-phased approach designed to not only train UWI faculty and staff, but also transfer online facilitation skills to them and sustain those skills.
In its second year as a blended learning online program, the diploma program has scaled up to include health care workers from Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Suriname.
These projects are supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U91HA0680, International AIDS Education and Training Center. The content and conclusions of this post are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government.
Anna Shapoval, Country Representative, and Iryna Yuryeva, Senior Training Developer, with the National ClASS Guidelines.
On January 26, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ukraine formally adopted the national guidelines on Clinical Assessment for Systems Strengthening (ClASS) and approved ClASS as a formally recommended national qualitative methodology/tool. The ClASS Guidelines were developed by a team of 10 experts from the International Training & Education Center for Health (I-TECH) and the Ukrainian Center for Socially Dangerous Diseases of the MOH of Ukraine (UCDC).
The ClASS methodology in Ukraine offers four key modules/tools: Clinical, VCT, Administrative, and Financial. Two additional modules that will help assessing HIV/TB integrated services and HIV labs are in the process of development with input from the national and international experts. They are expected to be formally approved later this year.
“This is a significant accomplishment and the product of a very small team who put tremendous efforts, time, and energy to develop national guidelines in the course of just few months,” says Anna Shapoval, Country Representative for I-TECH Ukraine. “We are extremely proud and humbled by the fact that our joint efforts of promoting ClASS in Ukraine in the past two years are sustained in the form of this publication.”
On February 2-3, I-TECH and UCDC conducted the national dissemination workshop in Kyiv. ClASS Guidelines were presented to the group of the national ClASS reviewers, representatives of the eight Oblast AIDS Centers (OACs) from the regions that participated in the assessment to date, as well as OACs from the three new regions interested in applying ClASS. Along with local partners, I-TECH and UCDC discussed potential benefits that participation in ClASS could offer, just some of which include:
A positive platform for mentorship and sharing experience with the national ClASS reviewers, most of whom represent various health facilities and work in various regions of Ukraine;
Sound, evidence-based assessment findings, which may be successfully used for development of the strategic and working action plans and for attracting additional financing from budget and off-budget sources, donors including additional technical assistance; and
Preparation for accreditation and compulsory certification.
The future plans in regard to ClASS promotion in Ukraine include assessments of additional regions, development of at least two additional modules, training of the second group of the national ClASS reviewers, and applying ClASS toward at least two OAC as part of their preparation for the accreditation or mandatory certification.
Following the workshop, over 100 copies of the publication were immediately sent out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) office in Ukraine, other international agencies, the MOH, all Health Departments of all Oblast State Administrations, all Oblast AIDS centers, scientific medical libraries, libraries of the Ukrainian medical universities, and continuous medical education academies.
“These guidelines open new opportunities for applying ClASS methodology and tools in Ukraine in different contexts and, most importantly, upon request from specific health care facilities or regions,” says Ms. Shapoval. “This differentiates ClASS from other top-down evaluations or approaches.
“The level of enthusiasm about ClASS among our national and local partners is inspiring, and with the additional modules on labs and HIV/TB co-infection being finalized and plans to train and certify the new group of national reviewers, we hope I-TECH will continue expanding its work around ClASS in Ukraine in the coming years.”
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under U91HA06801, the International AIDS Education and Training Center (IAETC). The content of this post is the author’s and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
The conference, held every three years, serves as the preeminent meeting place for a wide variety of stakeholders in the global response to HIV and AIDS. Gathered to talk about the latest scientific developments and implementation, attendees include scientists, clinicians, public health experts, advocates, community leaders, media professionals, and people living with HIV. The opening plenary, Where is PEPFAR going?, will be led by Dr. Deborah Birx, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
A number of posters with I-TECH authors were selected for presentation at IAS 2015:
Haiti
Attrition from antiretroviral treatment services among pregnant and non-pregnant patients following adoption of Option B+ in Haiti
This was also selected as the winner of the prestigious Women, Girls and HIV Investigator’s Prize. From a field of 2,564 abstracts, it was acknowledged for its excellence in research that addresses women, girls, and gender issues related to HIV.
Malawi
Safety, feasibility, and acceptability of the PrePex device for adult male circumcision in Malawi
Mozambique
Who benefits from partner services in Mozambique? Results from a pilot program in a public, urban clinic
South Africa
Stigma Fears Undermine the Scale Up of HIV Care and Prevention in North West Province, South Africa
Characterizing the continuum of care in a population-based sample to target programming in North West Province, South Africa
Loss of HIV-positive patients in rural primary health care facilities in North West province, South Africa: a retrospective register audit
Peer navigation in South Africa: Addressing stigma and psychosocial barriers to engagement in HIV services
An unannounced standardized patient actor assessment of STI services in public health facilities in South Africa
On June 17, Dr. Robert Martin, University of Washington professor and Director of Laboratory Systems Strengthening at UW’s International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), will receive the American Society for Microbiology’s 2016 Hologic Joseph Public Health Award at the 
