DUSHANBE, November 5, 2012, Asia-Plus — An opening ceremony of the Clinical Skills Laboratory of the Tajik State Medical University (TSMU) named after Avicenna was held on November 3.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health of Tajikistan Nusratullo Salimov, TSMU Chancellor U. Qurbonov, the visiting President of the Council of States of Switzerland (Upper House of the Swiss Parliament) Hans Altherr, Ambassador of Switzerland to Tajikistan Mr. Stephan Nellen, as well as by the Director of Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan Mr. Peter Mikula, and other officials and staff.
According to press release issued by the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan, the purpose of the Clinical Skills Laboratory is to provide hands-on learning experiences to medical students for the practice of clinical skills which are deemed essential for the effective and safe management of their future patients. The Clinical Skills Laboratory will contribute to improving the quality of medical education and the quality of the graduates from TSMU and, subsequently, clinical practice.
Findings of baseline assessments show that teaching departments of TSMU are not able to provide enough access for students to patients due to the breakdown of links between the university departments and hospitals established by the Soviet education system. As a consequence, students have very little practical skills and confidence that are needed for them to take more responsibility for patient problems. Moreover, they would not confidently handle even such simple procedures as a baby delivery, suture of a wound or setting of a simple bone fracture on their own. In order to gain confidence and to deserve trust of patients, the students need to undergo basic clinical skills training in a simulated safe environment. It is essential that before approaching patients the students learn the necessary skills at the clinical skills laboratory to be able then to transfer them from a simulated environment to the patient. This will improve the quality of future care provided to patients.
In his speech dedicated to the opening of the Clinical Skills Laboratory, Mr. Altherr said: “A functioning health system is of great importance for every country and its population. The establishment and maintenance of such system however poses considerable challenges. Theory on its own is not sufficient; and the new laboratory that we have opened today provides medical students with a first opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.” Mr. Altherr assured the Minister of Health Salimov and TSMU Chancellor Qurbonov that Tajikistan is and will remain a priority country for the Swiss development cooperation: “You can count on us and our continuous support.”
The purchase and establishment of this laboratory is supported by Switzerland within its currently running Medical Education Project that has been implemented by the Swiss Tropical-Public Health Institute since 2010. This contribution is seen as a complementary activity which will significantly enhance the effectiveness of previous and current investments made by Switzerland into the health care sector of Tajikistan.
