August 2006

• Phil Di Sorbo: FHSSA’s New Executive Director
• Conferences
• Advocacy Workshop for Palliative Care in Africa: a Focus on Essential Pain Medication Accessibility
• Unacceptable Deaths
• Letter from FHSSA’s International Medical Director
• Seal Steals Show
• Partner Stories
• News from the field
• Useful links and Resources
• Employment Opportunities

I. Phil Di Sorbo: FHSSA’s New Executive Director
Some very good things seem to happen whenever Phil Di Sorbo gets involved — and this bodes well for FHSSA as he assumes the position of executive director. Di Sorbo has been executive director of The Community Hospice in Rensselaer, New York (formerly Capital District Hospice) since 1980. Under his leadership, the organization became the nation’s first hospice to be certified by Medicare and, today, it is the largest hospice provider in New York State. In addition, his organization launched a pediatric bereavement program in the late 1980s which has earned NCHPP’s Excellence in Education Award and has been customized for use in Africa. He also launched a Palliative Care Home Program in 2002, a pioneering effort that offers HMO-covered pre-hospice interdisciplinary care. Then, there’s FHSSA itself.  

After touring African programs in 1999 and witnessing the enormous needs firsthand, Di Sorbo felt it was our collective responsibility to do something about it. And so he did. Along with FHSSA’s first board chair, Dr. Bernice Catherine Harper, and hospice directors Peter Sarver and Paul Brenner, Di Sorbo co-founded the organization.

 “The global AIDS pandemic and other international tragedies are opportunities to forge our global connectedness,” Di Sorbo says. “And FHSSA is incredibly well positioned to make a difference by supporting so many of Africa’s growing hospice programs as well as the newly formed African Palliative Care Association.”

What does he see as FHSSA’s immediate priorities? “With our mission of making palliative care accessible to all in need  — there are over 7,000 people dying each day —  our very first priority needs to be fundraising to support hospice care,” Di Sorbo said.  “American partners have been very generous, and I look forward to working closely with them to support their efforts with existing partnerships, and to develop new ones. Of great significance,” he added, “will be learning from those partnerships which have become fully engaged in their communities — in their towns, cities, and regions. We have a chance, consistent with our basic hospice work in every community, to engage that community in the global war on AIDS. There is no greater challenge and all of us, including our board of directors and community affiliate partners, can take great pride in sharing in the overall response.”

Di Sorbo not only brings FHSSA 26 years of expertise as a hospice leader, but also experience as one of the most active U.S. partners in FHSSA’s Partnership Initiative. Since forming FHSSA in 1999, his organization has created partnerships with Island Hospice (Harare, Zimbabwe), South Coast Hospice (Port Shepstone, South Africa), and, most recently, Tapologo Hospice (Rustenburg, South Africa).

Di Sorbo lists countless rewards that have come from partnering, but key among them has been a better community perception of hospice as a “community service agency” and “social change agent.” He has also seen significant increase in use of hospice by minorities and, interestingly, greater admiration and respect for senior leadership and staff who go on staff exchanges and work projects. But above all, he says, partnering has taught his organization how to “really listen with respect.”

It is crucial that Americans do not go in to “fix things” or “impose a first-world model” on African programs, but instead, establish a working relationship as true colleagues and partners, he cautions. “Once our African counterparts identify needs, then we can mobilize and be assured of a good reception as the work projects are developed collaboratively. For example, we have conducted many work projects on the ground in Africa for our partners. The projects have run about one week or less and have ranged from pediatric palliative care training, bereavement care of orphans and care-for-the-caregiver support… to web site development, quality improvement, and strategic planning. But we made sure we were asked first.”  

“When Di Sorbo begins his new job, he will not only bring us a successful track record in hospice, but also heart and passion for FHSSA and important perspective as a U.S. partner,” observed president/CEO,  Don Schumacher, who also serves as president of the FHSSA board. “All of us, especially our African colleagues, are so fortunate he has accepted this important role.”

II. Conferences

21st NHPCO’s Management and Leadership Conference
Quality: Leadership, Care and Outcomes
September 9-13, 2006
New York, NY

Join NHPCO for the premier end-of-life care leadership conference, the 21st Management and Leadership Conference (MLC), in vibrant New York City. The MLC is a forum of present and future leaders in hospice and palliative care. The conference offers new insights on leadership, management and business from the country's leading business and healthcare experts.  

FHSSA Events at MLC include:

Special 9/11 Dinner Event
In the evening a special complimentary dinner event following the Welcome Reception is being planned, which provides all conference attendees a chance to gather together (pre-registration is required).  The day’s activities will acknowledge the violence, terror trauma and loss of that day while, at the same time, reflect upon potential, promise and hope of tomorrow .

At this dinner event, Bishop Kevin Dowling, a hospice pioneer from South Africa will receive NHPCO’s 2006 International Person of the Year Award. This prestigious award is the highest accolade presented by the hospice and palliative care community to persons who, by their exemplary contributions have shown themselves to be “champions” of improved care at the end of life world-wide, and supporters of the mission shared by NHPCO and FHSSA.

Bishop Dowling will receive this award for his ongoing efforts to support hospice and palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa.  He has been a tireless and pioneering hospice leader on behalf of victims of global HIV/AIDS for many years.  His efforts to develop a comprehensive HIV/AIDS intervention program are inspiring and are a testament to his commitment to ensuring quality, compassionate care for people at the end of life.  Bishop Dowling’s efforts also shine a light on the important work being done by hospices across the world.  

FHSSA Workshop on Premier Partnering and Best Practices
FHSSA is honored to have African participation in this workshop.  Participants include: Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell the Executive Director of the African Palliative Care Association; Bishop Kevin Dowling from South Africa; Kath Defilippi and Andre Wagner from the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of South Africa.

The workshop will present an overview of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa and how the American hospice movement is responding, with a special focus on best practices in partnering between American and African hospice programs. The emphasis will be on tools and models to maximize resources for African hospices through community engagement.  Hospice executives and managers will learn about the local benefits that emerge from partnering, including impact on new donor pools, staff satisfaction, and linkage to and hospice utilization by local multicultural populations.  The workshop will be presented by Phil DiSorbo, FHSSA Executive Director, with a panel of American and African partners.  Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell will give an overview of hospice and palliative care in Africa.        

For more information on the conference, please click here .

III. Advocacy Workshop for Palliative Care in Africa: a Focus on Essential Pain Medication Accessibility
The African Palliative Care Association hosted a three day workshop in Entebbe, Uganda from June 27-29.  The purpose of the workshop was to help influence national policies, laws and regulations affecting drug accessibility of opioid analgesics as well as other essential drugs for pain and symptom management within the region of East Africa.  The workshop helped facilitate the development of national strategies to establish drug reforms in all participating countries that balance appropriate medical use with concerns for diversion and illicit use.  

FHSSA Staff Members and Board Members including: Dr. Rich Payne, Dr. Joe O’Neil, Dr. Stephen Connor, Phil DiSorbo and Daniela Stevens actively participated and assisted in facilitating the Workshop. Ms. Stevens assisted APCA in the workshop preparations for several weeks before the event; Dr. Connor assisted in facilitating several workshop sessions and Dr. Payne gave an advanced and very well received presentation on the science of opioids and the unfounded fear of addiction.

The countries that participated in the Workshop included: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nigeria, Botswana and Malawi.  After technical presentations by many palliative and hospice care professionals, each country actively put together an advocacy plan to move the issue forward with its own government.  Perhaps one of the most compelling stories came from Ethiopia, the second largest country in Africa with over 77 millions people and nearly zero access to morphine.  One Ethiopian physician presented a recent situation of advanced illness and pain in a woman who suffered so much she wound up taking her own life. The entire conference reinforced the incredible relevance and urgency of our FHSSA mission.

The workshop helped improve participants’ knowledge of the policies, tools and logistical infrastructure necessary to make opioids available for palliative care to support participants in evaluating their national policies through the development of action plans and national strategies.

On behalf of the FHSSA Board and American hospices, FHSSA staff were able to thank the Africans for allowing us to work with them, and for the many benefits that Africa partners bring to American hospices.  The message was extremely well received.

A day and a half was spent specifically with the Board of Directors of APCA and its first real strategic planning retreat. Dr. Joe O’Neil and Phil DiSorbo were privileged to be asked to facilitate and guide the retreat.  Dr. Payne and Dr. Connor participated as resource specialists.  A most productive day and a half was spent on genuine organizational development.

Three “Big Rock” areas were brainstormed: Governance and Board Structure/Roles; Sustainability; and Future Work Areas.   Once consensus was reached on the key elements of each area, policy directives were crafted and, where relevant, terms of reference were developed for each initiative.   At the Board meeting that followed, 18 governing policy directives were enacted.   APCA has taken a great leap forward in its infrastructure development, and specifically in its evolution into an agency that is governed by a Board of Directors and operationalized by a management/staff team.

FHSSA Advocacy Officer, Daniela Stevens also took advantage of her time in Uganda to visit several Ugandan hospices. Daniela was accompanied by Rose Kiwanuka, the executive director of the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) as she visited Hospice Africa Uganda, Mildmay Hospice and Rays of Hope Hospice Jinja.  

Below: Daniela Stevens with Hospice Jinja staff members who all work at Rays of Hope as volunteers due to lack of funding.  They are currently waiting to be partnered with an American hospice through the FHSSA Partnership Initiative.  If you would like more information on the FHSSA Partnership Initiative, please e-mail partnerships@fhssa.org.

IV. Unacceptable Deaths
By Phil Di Sorbo
Executive Director of FHSSA  

Thirty years ago, the hospice movement in America mobilized in many locales because people were dying unacceptably:  alone in hospitals, frequently in pain, hooked up to machines, often ignored by health care workers, anxious and afraid.  Today that has changed.  Most Americans have the option of hospice care and dying at home.  Most can be relatively pain free and with their loved ones.  We know that children need special attention, and that dying is a normal process.  We even know that healing, growth, and transcendence happen as part of life closure and effective grieving.

Today, global HIV/AIDS has spawned a situation parallel but far more desperate than we faced 30 years ago.  In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 7,000 people are dying each day in unacceptable circumstances:  many alone and in pain, in the midst of stigma, gender abuse and child neglect, anxious and afraid.  In some countries, there is no access to basic pain medication.  Hunger and poverty are common co-morbidities.  Many public health agencies have already called this the worst epidemic ever.   African hospice and palliative care programs are heroically struggling to start and scale up services.   The urgency of the need was brought home during recent  trips to Zimbabwe and Uganda where stories were told  of patients experiencing such unbearable pain that they resorted to taking their own lives.

The American Hospice Response
FHSSA is coordinating an American Hospice response to this situation.  Sub-Saharan Africa today is the cutting edge of the hospice movement on our planet.  We are called, just as we were 30 years ago, to respond as hospice pioneers to this need. FHSSA is already doing this through the FHSSA Partnership Initiative and through various forms of technical assistance.  Because of the urgency of the need, FHSSA is now calling for a new partnership model – one of Community Engagement. 

Community Engagement
Community Engagement means mobilizing your local community to support your partnership as a community-to-community response.  Local communities, especially churches and schools, are inherently interested in such linkages because they relate to their basic mission.  The Community Engagement model is a vehicle to connect your hospice with community stakeholders in a new and meaningful way, one that can generate resources for your African partner as part of a long term relationship.  

How do I Benefit?
Hospice board of directors and CEOs need to know how the local American hospices benefit from the Partnership Initiative, in addition to the privileges and opportunities in joining the other American hospices in this inspiring, humanitarian response.  The benefits include:

• New donors and volunteers identifying with your hospice
• Broader recognition of your hospice as a community service agency (not just a Medicare certified hospice)
• Marketing advantage with multicultural and minority stakeholders, particularly African American churches
• Concurrent increase in multicultural and minority hospice utilization
• Key motivator for staff, with strong impact on staff energy and retention
• Participation in a joint effort by the leading American hospice programs and NHPCO/FHSSA.

Staff and Stakeholder Exchange
A key to having an engaged partnership is the staff and stakeholder exchange.  Your key community stakeholders and staff representatives need to visit your partner hospice in Africa, and you need to host them in your hospice and community.   FHSSA has a model of doing this that is financially feasible and replicable everywhere.  For more information about this, contact FHSSA.

Partner or Re-Partner
There are dozens of African hospice and palliative care programs waiting for American partners.   Please begin due diligence on this today.   And if you already partner, please assess your community engagement dimension and your staff/stakeholder exchange history.  These are key steps to taking your partnership to a new level, and generating significant resources for the urgent and ongoing needs in Africa.   Together, we can make a huge difference, just as we did 30 years ago.

V. Letter from FHSSA’s International Medical Director

Dear Bashiri Readers,

Over the past 6 months, I have been fortunate to work in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda where I have visited HIV treatment sites as well as programs offering hospice and palliative care. It has been an incredible opportunity to share experiences and learn from colleagues. 

At the Faith Alive HIV/AIDS Community Clinic and Foundation in Jos, Nigeria, I talked with a support group about the importance of both antiretroviral treatment and spiritual care in their lives. Many gave testimonials about how they were dying, but that their lives have been turned around by treatment. The Clinic, which operates a home-based care program, is beginning training in palliative care because it recognizes that while many patients may be thriving; there are still many who will not be able to access multi-drug therapy.

While in Nigeria, my nurse colleague and I also delivered a two-day workshop on end-of-life care for 30 staff members of the Institute of Human Virology–Nigeria. This organization provides antiretroviral services throughout the country and is funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

In Kigali, Rwanda, I met with the steering committee of the newly formed Palliative Care Association of Rwanda (PCAR). Committee members had just completed a two-week training workshop in palliative care where the secretary of FHSSA’s board, Shareefah Sabur (Hospice of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH), was very warmly received as an instructor. During my visit, PCAR made an official request to join FHSSA’s Partnership Initiative, and be partnered with an American organization.

In December, I participated in a two-day training for adherence staff and nurses about management of HIV disease and the integration of palliative care in a tiny mountainous community in the Byumba District of Rwanda.

I also traveled to Kampala, Uganda where I met with Faith Mwangi-Powell, the Executive Director of the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) with whom FHSSA have an active mentoring relationship funded by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. Dr. Mwangi-Powell is an ex-officio member of the FHSSA Board of Directors. We were able to discuss in detail a workshop we are planning that will enable us to identify models for how to integrate antiretroviral treatment with palliative care. This project is co-funded by Alive Hospice of Nashville, TN and The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. By developing these models, this might supply information as a pilot program for reproducing similar programs throughout Africa.

In December, I was also able to attend the first international conference of the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa in Cape Town that some of NHPCO board members attended. We were fortunate to be able to sponsor the attendance of a young physician from St. Gabriel’s Hospital in Malawi who is beginning a partnership with one of our more active hospice members. This will be a blessing to this small, rural program as they are struggling to begin their own home-based and palliative care program. Malawi is one of the fortunate countries that has access to opioids for the management of pain near the end of life.

Most of the work I do is supported by the PEPFAR, but palliative care was identified by that legislation as a serious need in all African countries. FHSSA is able to promote these relationships with very little investment. As those who have formed partnerships with hospices in some of the African countries know, one U.S. dollar goes a long way to feed and comfort both orphans and adults who are dying with nothing to eat and only a dirt floor to lie on. We are so much more fortunate that we often fail to recognize the importance of food and shelter for many who are dying outside the United States.

I am now back home in the Washington, D.C. area and eagerly sharing my experiences with colleagues here. I will continue to hold close the friends I made in Africa, and the lives currently being touched by appropriate palliative care for terminally ill patients in that continent. We have done a lot of good work, but more work, research and funding is still needed to make sure that FHSSA continues to advocate, educate and partner to improve quality of life.

Sincerely,

VI. Seal Steals Show
By Solly Maphumulo
Tapologo Hospice is a FHSSA partner with Community Hospice of New York  

Grammy Award-winning singer Seal had fans eating out of the palm of his hand when he belted out his repertoire of famous songs at Sun City. He raised thousands of rands for a South African Aids hospice on Saturday evening. The British singer emerged to rapturous applause at the Sun City Superbowl and lived up to his fans' expectations at the Positive Rock Festival.

The four-day festival of music, art, fashion and fine cuisine was aimed at educating people about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and raising funds for the Tapologo Aids Hospice near Pilanesberg in North West.

Local and international designers strutted their stuff at the lavish evening of high fashion. The fashion show showcased creations by designers such as Roberto Cavalli, Gavin Rajah and Sun God'dess. The evening also included an auction of items by famous designers and musicians.  

Dresses by Cavalli were snapped up at R15 000 a piece, while a candle vase and a CD autographed by Elton John was snapped up for R50 000. Former Miss South Africa Kerishnie Naicker announced that R755 000 had been raised for the hospice.

Local musicians who performed at the concert included Lebo Mathosa, Unathi Nkayi, Malaika, Ntando and Brown Dash. While Seal performed, he urged his fans to visit orphans at the Tapologo AIDS Hospice. He said he was humbled to see the smiles on their faces.

"Despite the atrocities, they look on the brighter side of life. They still managed to put up a smile," Seal said. HELPING HAND: Seal performs at the Positive Rock Festival at Sun City at the weekend to raise funds for the Tapologo Aids Hospice in North West.

VII. Partner Stories
Each Bashiri will showcase the activities and submissions of U.S. and African partners.  This space will cover fundraising activities, awareness-raising activities, visits and stories that the partners carry out.  So far these stories have been very well received, and we strongly encourage you to submit your success stories as well.  Please e-mail them to dstevens@fhssa.org . If you are interested in becoming a Partner please e-mail FHSSA info@fhssa.org  

VITAS Hospice of San Antonio & Nairobi Hospice of Kenya
Recently Dr. Zipporah Merdin Ali of Nairobi Hospice was invited by her Partner to visit them in San Antonio. Here is a letter we received from Kathy Phoenix, Volunteer Manager for VITAS San Antonio.

Dear FHSSA,

Dr. Zipporah’s visit was WONDERFUL!!  It was amazing the difference it made to meet our partner in person.  She rode out on home visits with one of our RNs and crossed paths with SW, CH, CNA disciplines while out on the visits.  She also rode out with our Medical Director on home visits.  Zipporah noticed a factual similarity stating, “The dying process is the same no matter where you are”.  She gave a presentation for our staff call on Nairobi hospice that was so powerful. 

She is so humble about the amazing work that they do there.  Seeing her present in person was priceless and emotional for our staff – within 3 hours of the presentation I had raised $250 in raffle tickets for the African items she brought us and a number of new payroll deductions were submitted.  Also a number of staff who already had payroll deduction increased their amounts (including me!).  In addition, VITAS had sent their corporate PR/Media crew to San Antonio and they filmed her presentation, personal interviews with her, me, our General Manager and other people involved with the Nairobi partnership to be made into an informational video.  

Another fun surprise was Vivian!  Vivian is originally from Nairobi and worked at Nairobi Hospice for 10 years and now lives in Lubbock, TX on a staff exchange program.  She and her husband were able to come, be at the presentation, and then spend the weekend with Zippy.  Vivian also went out on some home visits with one of our nurse and seemed to really enjoy herself.

I am excited to hear more about your ideas for staff exchanges.  There is a great desire on our part to visit the staff of Nairobi Hospice and to spend time going out with their staff, learning from them additional ways to look at end of life care.  I look forward to what the future brings with our FHSSA Partner!

Sincerely,

Kathy Phoenix

***

Hospice of the Calumet Area & Hospice of East Rand of South Africa
In September, Hospice of the Calumet Area will be having a fundraising luncheon that includes “boutique shopping” to raise funds for their partner hospice in South Africa.  If you would like more information, please e-mail Adrianne May at amay@hospicecalument.org.

***

Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara & VIAGENCO Integrated Community Health Program of Kenya
Visiting Nurse and hospice Care is planning a trip to visit their Africa partner.  They are currently gathering supplies and other donated goods to share with their colleagues in Kenya. Seven people will be making the journey, including three hospice nurses.  If you would like more information, please e-mail Susan Saperstein at ssaperstein@gmail.com.

VIII. News from the Field

The Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN International Announce New Award for HIV/AIDS Journalism in Africa
Menlo Park, CA -- The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in collaboration with CNN International today announced a new award recognizing excellence in HIV/AIDS journalism in Africa. The Henry J. Kaiser Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Journalism will be presented as part of the prestigious CNN/MultiChoice African Journalist Awards to recognize reporting on HIV/AIDS in Africa that illuminates the broad impact of the epidemic on individuals, communities and nations, and the resilience of the African response to the epidemic.
Continue Reading This Article

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World's Longest-Serving Hospice Doctor Honored A MEDICAL pioneer who helped set up groundbreaking hospice services has won an international award for humanitarian work.  Dr Mary Baines, who worked at St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham for nearly 30 years, received her European Women of Achievement Award last Friday.  She studied medicine alongside Dame Cicely Saunders, who founded the hospice and invited her to join in 1968. Continue Reading This Article

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Life Stories:  Outlasting AIDS in Africa
Hospice `Angels of Death' Become Partners in Survival
Petunia Nkele Laka lay quietly in the bedroom of her family's four-room cement block home, the warm morning light pressing in.  At 23, she weighed just 57 pounds; AIDS had taken the rest. Death lay at her side. Her eyes darted anxiously about the room, and then settled on Linky Mathabe, 51, a nurse supervisor from a local hospice, who had just walked in. Linky approached slowly, as she could sense the young woman's fear and also, her hope.
Continue Reading This Article

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AIDS’ Relentless March Leaves Legacy of Misery: After 25 years, Grim Prognosis for Hard-Hit Nations, Skyrocketing Deaths
It began innocuously, when a statistical anomaly pointed to a mysterious syndrome that attacked the immune systems of gay men in California. No one imagined 25 years ago that AIDS would become the deadliest epidemic in history. Since June 5, 1981, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has killed more than 25 million people, infected 40 million others and left a legacy of unspeakable loss, hardship, fear and despair.
Continue Reading This Article

IX. Useful Links and Resources
FHSSA Partnership ListServe
FHSSA is happy to announce that a Listserv is available for increased communication between partners and others interested in the work of FHSSA and in the field of public health. 

Declaration of Commitment on HIV/ AIDS: five years later (PDF)
The Secretary General's Report is now publicly available for download.

Towards universal access: assessment by the Joint United Nations program on HIV? AIDS on scaling up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support (PDF)
The UNAIDS summary report is available for download.  Alternatively, all language versions are available for both reports on the UNAIDS High Level Meeting on AIDS webpage.

GlobalHealthFacts.org
A free service operated by the Kaiser Family Foundation provides easy access to these new HIV/AIDS data, offering country comparisons and interactive maps.  The site also provides up-to-date data on tuberculosis, malaria, avian flu and other health and demographic indicators.

GlobalHealthReporting.org
A companion site of GlobalHealthFacts.org; providing news, information and events for journalists and others -- has also been updated with the most current data from the UNAIDS report.  See facts-at-a-glance and an overview of HIV/AIDS for the latest information and background on the epidemic, and visit the country profiles pages for the country-specific news and resources related to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, including a new profile of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic

X. Employment Opportunities
Each month we will feature employment opportunities in our field.  If you would like to submit a job description, please e-mail them to dstevens@fhssa.org 

Opportunity in Palliative Care Education in Uganda
Hospice Africa Uganda is seeking applicants for the post of Coordinator of Distance Learning Diploma in Palliative Care for Africa.

The Distance Learning Diploma in Palliative Medicine for Africa was launched by Hospice Africa Uganda in 2002. HAU has been providing clinical care and education in culturally appropriate specialist palliative care in a low resource setting since 1993 and started the DLD with the aim of training key personnel in specialist palliative care from all over Africa such that they could act as local “spear headers” promoting and catalyzing the provision of palliative care in their own countries and settings. To date 54 medical officers, clinical nurses and registered nurses have completed the 18 month course.

This exciting, challenging post and requires a person with experience in clinical palliative care and training. Experience of Palliative Care in the African context is desirable but not essential.

The applicant would be a doctor, nurse or educationalist ideally with a post graduate degree in palliative care or education.

Remuneration will be decided according to the applicant. We can offer volunteer allowance but higher salaries are negotiable and according to availability. Furnished Housing will be provided.

If interested please get in touch with: Dr Anne Merriman anne@hospiceafrica.or.ug Telephone: +256-71-267488 or Dr Karen Frame Email laurence.karen@btinternet.com Telephone: +44 (0)1494 - 763990. 

Nurse Practitioner
Mozambique, Africa
Vanderbilt Medical Center presents a unique opportunity to take your career farther than you ever imagined - and the chance to make a truly positive impact on the state of global health. Recent grant funding has created an unprecedented opportunity with the Vanderbilt affiliate "Friends In Global Health" for a NP with clinical experience in reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. The chosen candidate will serve as a representative for Vanderbilt in Mozambique sharing information between programs at Vanderbilt and in Mozambique that are helping the Ministry of Health provide care for HIV/AIDS, TB, STDs, malaria, and other diseases.

QUALIFICATIONS: The unique nature of this position demands a special healthcare professional with the following qualifications:  A Master of Science in Nursing required and licensure as a Nurse Practitioner. One year of clinical experience is required. Conversational Portuguese or fluency in another Romance language (French, Spanish, and Italian) and willingness to learn Portuguese is also required.  Training in public health as evidenced by holding an MPH degree and/or prior overseas experience (Peace Corps, prior employment overseas) is highly preferred but not required.

To find out more about this incredible opportunity, please contact us at 800/288-6622 or 615/322-2116. Or visit our website at www.mc.vanderbilt.edu reference Req #BG48814.

Regional Representative for East, Central and the Horn of Africa (ECA)
Nairobi, Kenya
The Academy for Educational Development (AED), an international not-for-profit organization working in education and training, health and nutrition, democracy and governance, and economic development, seeks a representative to head its regional office for East, Central, and the Horn of Africa (ECA) in Nairobi, Kenya.  The ECA Representative will manage and help develop the regional office, create a strong regional presence for AED, and build relationships with, and serve as an organizational focal point for the donor community, foundations, and corporations active in the region. She/he will forge connections for collaboration with local, national, and regional partners, and with key professionals; manage and help coordinate national and regional AED programs; and represent AED at professional and other meetings in the region.  

Qualifications include masters degree in education, health, marketing/communication, management, development, or related field; ten years experience managing programs in education, health/HIV/AIDS, democracy and governance, training or other areas in social development; significant expertise in project design and management; proven ability in new business development; in-depth knowledge of the ECA political, economic and social context through residential living experience; and extensive experience working with governments, multilateral and bilateral donors, corporations, and NGOs in ECA.  Required skills include excellent written and oral communications; demonstrated leadership and organizational development capacity; and ability to work independently, and as part of a team.  African nationals are especially welcome to apply. 

Please send resumes/CVs, a cover letter indicating interest, and salary requirements to: regionaloffice@aed.org.

Virtual Job Fair
Ethiopia-based company Zebrajobs has launched the first on-line job fair in Ghana. The initiative, which will be held sometime in July, aims to provide an alternative to traditional recruitment procedures by bringing top public and private sector employers and jobseekers together under one “virtual” roof. Companies must pay $1.000 to participate and are listed together with details of job vacancies in a special Job Fair 2006 booklet and on the website Zebrajobs.com (currently under construction). Government employers, private businesses and international organizations are all expected to take part, according to state news agency GNA.

Launching the fair in Accra in early May, Yusif Reja, chief executive officer of Zebrajobs, said that a job clinic would be set up at the popular “Busy Internet” internet café and ICT centre at 42 Ring Road for the duration of the event to allow job seekers to receive free training in using the internet to look for jobs, CV writing and job interviews.