Kenyan Doctors and NYU Counterparts Discuss Treatment

OCTOBER 2005 – More than 100 Kenyan physicians and other health care professionals recently joined American counterparts from New York University to discuss new developments in antiretroviral therapy (ART) for patients infected with HIV. Called the Grand Rounds, this three-day forum, held in Nairobi in August, fostered the exchange of vital, up-to-the-minute information on AIDS treatment. The gathering was sponsored by New York University's Center for AIDS Research, Kenyatta National Hospital and Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), with funding from the Implementing AIDS Prevention and Care (IMPACT) Project.

Dr. Fred Valentine, director of the Center for AIDS Research, and two other renowned ART clinicians based in the United States, Dr. Jeff Green and Dr. Aditya Kaul of the NYU School of Medicine, spoke to forum participants about currently available ART medications and offered a historical perspective on the progression and treatment of the disease. Dr. Sylvia Ojoo of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NASCOP), Dr. Omu Anzala of the University of Nairobi's Department of Medical Microbiology, Dr. Babu Bora of Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital and other leading Kenyan ART experts made presentations about their clinical experiences with ART.

Several Kenyan health care professionals – many of them graduates of the Health Professionals Program, an intensive ART training course co-sponsored by NASCOP, KMTC and FHI – presented case studies of patients receiving treatment at comprehensive care centers throughout Kenya that are supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Some of the issues presented included treatment failure, ART side effects, nutritional therapy and acute respiratory distress.

"The case study presentations were a great chance to improve communication skills and also learn about the challenges encountered by different people," said Rebecca Wafula, a nurse and graduate of the Health Professionals Program. "Discussing these challenges broadens the perspective of participants in the area of HIV/AIDS, while the interaction with senior scientists and consultants in different fields spurs confidence and competence in young professionals."

The Rounds were officially opened by Dr. John Kabosia, director of Kenyatta National Hospital, and closed by Dr. Isaiah Tanui, the ART coordinator at NASCOP, and Dr. David Elkins of the U.S. Agency for International Development. All three spoke of the importance of future Grand Rounds as a way to ensure that HIV/AIDS medical education in Kenya remains at the cutting edge. As a result of this successful collaboration, Dr. Kabosia and Dr. Valentine signed a memorandum of understanding for future joint educational activities between their two institutions. New York University and Kenya Medical Training College are developing a similar agreement.   

In 2004, IMPACT, funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the U.S. Agency for International Development, supported a smaller Grand Rounds in Mombasa. IMPACT is managed by Family Health International.

Photo: Kenyan health professionals who participated in the Grand Rounds. (FHI/Kenya)