Video: Training for Health

At the Rwinkwavu Hospital in eastern Rwanda, PIH and the Rwandan Government have launched an ambitious project to strengthen health care services throughout the district. In addition to supplying the needed equipment and facilities, the success of this project lies in having a well-trained medical staff and trained community health workers to deliver health care.

"The training of clinical providers and community health workers are critical to building local capacity to provide quality health care services in the most underserved areas," says PIH Director of Training Jill Hackett. "High quality training programs are the cornerstone of community health and maximize the impact of PIH's programs around the world."

PIH's training team utilizes lessons learned from the organization's projects around the world. From organizing workshops, to bringing in experts from institutions like Harvard Medical School, to producing culturally-appropriate manuals, the team strives to share information and innovations with local staff.

"Our training programs are designed for physicians, nurses, and community health workers," says Jill. "We invest in educational activities for patients, their families, and for the wider community to equip them with tools for improving their own health. Both staff and the community benefit when training becomes everyone's responsibility."

"Training is like a light; we can't do our work without it," adds one community health worker attending a training. Learn more about PIH's focus on training activities in Rwanda and around the world in the video above.

Check out some of PIH's training manuals, available for free download. The training team plans to finalize and make available even more manuals and resources in the coming months--stay tuned!