April 29, 2019
This week, Northern Health welcomes medical professionals from Mongolia as part of a study tour to encourage shared learning.
Guests included the Governor of Umnugobi, Mr N Naranbaatar, heads of health and directors of health for the province, UNFPA representatives and Dr Ganbold, head of Critical Care Medicine and Anaesthiology Department, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences for Mongolia.
Umnugobi is the southernmost province, with a resident population of about 65,000 people, and almost the same number of migrant population due to large-scale mining. Umnugobi has high rates of adolescent birth, sexually transmitted infections, road traffic injuries and mortality.
Due to geographical and other similarities with the Mongolian context, regional health services in Australia offer a good example of health care governance and effective service provision to remote and transient populations.
The purpose of the study tour is to facilitate learning and identify models and approaches to be implemented in the Umnugobi context. It seeks to identify opportunities for shared learning between the two hospitals, as well as develop a plan for possible knowledge and staff exchange to improve capacity and formation of working groups. It also helps to develop and implement areas of mutual interest and or benefit, particularly relating to rural and remote health practices.
The delegation was met by Dr Amanda Baric, who is no stranger to Mongolia, having first visited there in 2005. In 2008, along with Associate Professor David Pescod, Dr Baric was responsible for signing an MOU with the Mongolian government to improve anaesthetic training.
The following year, an 18 month training was first delivered in Mongolia. The training program was developed by A. Prof. Pescod, Dr Baric and other Northern Health anaesthetists. Since 2009, eight groups of 28 to 30 trainees have passed through the program.
“Part of the attraction of coming to work at Northern Hospital is that it has a worldwide reputation of providing education and service in low to middle-income countries,” said A. Prof. Pescod.
Since 2008, a combined MSA/ASA scientific congress (ASC) is held annually in Mongolia. Each year, the team includes at least six doctors from Northern Health.
Dr Baric said it was great seeing Dr Ganbold again and building on the good relationship that Northern Health has with Dr Ganbold and his team.
“It was great to have an opportunity to show the Mongolian team our hospital and how it works. The unit managers of the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit and Theatre were happy to share the inner workings of our hospital. The visitors were very pleased to learn our model of care and it was a pleasure to be able to share some of our insights into the workings of a busy metropolitan hospital,” said Dr Baric.
Main image shows Dr Ganbold with Dr John Ferguson, Northern Health Chief Medical Officer
