Is a pre-award organizational assessment a reliable way to make donor funding decisions? Evidence from Ethiopia suggests it is not!

Program/Project Purpose: Adequate medical diagnostic services require trained pathologists, but many low income countries do not have enough pathologists and most have been trained abroad. In Ghana, a country of 26 million people, there are fewer than 15 pathologists and all of them were trained abroad. To improve diagnostic services, local training is essential to create a cadre of pathologists likely to stay in Ghana. Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra and Komfo Anyoke Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi have developed pathology residency training programs accredited by the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. The first cohort of Ghana-trained pathologists is close to graduation. To assist these training efforts, an ongoing collaboration was developed with the Pathology Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), starting in 2014. Structure/Method/Design: nstead of bringing trainees from Ghana to Chicago or US trainers to Ghana, pathology residents in Ghana take part in resident training sessions at UIC via videoconferencing. These one hour sessions take place three times per week in the early morning in Chicago (early afternoon in Ghana), presented by about 16 UIC pathologists. Although image transfer usually takes a few seconds, twoway sound and video interactions are possible without delays and result in real-time communication and question & answer interactions. Ghanaian participants also have internet access to a virtual slide box at UIC and can contribute cases. The basis for this program is a pre-existing Memorandum of Understanding between KATH and UIC and involves all sites of pathology training in Ghana. Outcomes & Evaluation: This approach not only raises the level of resident training in Ghana, but also provides the opportunity on both sides to be exposed to pathology cases that are uncommon in one but not the other location. While videoconferencing at KATH is still in its early stages, it is essential to assess the value of this approach though an annual evaluation. Going Forward: Participation of the Korle-Bu site in videoconferencing is still being developed. Videoconferencing to Ghana of pathology-oriented seminars atUIC could be added. To augment the program, development of telepathology allowing two-way consultations will be valuable, but requires sufficiently high quality image transfers and slide scanning equipment in Ghana. Videoconferencing and telepathology will facilitate an ongoing interaction between resident training faculty in Ghana and Chicago, which is essential for this program to succeed into the future and contribute to capacity building in pathology in Ghana. This overall approach may be a model for resident training programs in other medical specialties in low income countries. Funding: Current partial funding is provided by the UIC Nuveen International Development Fund, but external funding will be essential to ensure sustainability of this program. Abstract #: 02ETC008