November 2023 Report

AMPATH Kenya:

• 6 student interviews for 4 spring Kenya elective spots (3 medicine and 1 peds) complete. Faculty panelists are sharing their scoring rubrics. Hope to announce decisions by Thanksgiving.
• Other spring participants in Kenya confirmed:
  • Fellows: 1 medicine, 2 peds
  • Residents: 3 medicine, 2 peds, 2 neuro
• 4-6 faculty supervisors on our radar, dates being finalized
• Cardiac surgery team in Kenya in December
• Moi nursing students in Austin met their med student Ambassadors/applicants to Kenya elective.
• SOP for Moi students in Austin complete.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

• BUAP-UT Executive Committee monthly meeting: BUAP and UT leaders continue to meet monthly to focus on collaborate strategic guidance and decision-making.

• MOU with BUAP and UT Nursing Departments: BUAP and UT Austin nursing faculty met in-person in October to work on an MOU. Here is Facebook Post: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0sYLKE42mdnpB5YRNyB4AJDFCwvAgq1Anf5G8FY3x1JW6Efx1f3EyJgBEmLama4Qjl&id=100063961054108&mibextid=Nif5oz.

• Nursing updates: A future nursing chair in global health is in the future, with no funding attached.
• Community-based model of cancer prevention & early detection project funded by Astellas Access to Health Initiative: Subaward contracts with both university (BUAP) and community-based partners in Mexico have been signed. Promotor(a) (CHW) training will launch in late-November and December.
• Collaborating with AMPATH Global to submit two grant applications:

• Takeda: cross-site application of BIGPIC model focused on intersection of intervention that addresses social determinants and community-based chronic disease care model
• Global Affairs Canada: cross-site adaptation of Chamas for change based on community-based intervention in maternal and child health, including gender and human rights analysis and perspective.

• Also working on Kellogg and Rockefeller applications.

• INSP MOUs have been approved and are sent to Dell Med contracts for signature.
• AMBIA (Seed Funding for bilateral BUAP-UT projects): 
  • Round 1 final report: communicating with Principal Invesigators to finalize.
  • Round 2 interim reports: received from all 4 grant recipients.
  • Round 3 application: invited all Working Group members who had not already applied.

EDUCATION:

• Monthly seminars:
  • o December 7 5-6:30pm CT Dra Indiana Torres of BUAP and Dr. Aliza Norwood of UT will focus on HIV in marginalized communities in Puebla, Mexico and Central Texas, USA. Click here to register.
• GVE/Global Virtual Exchange: Migrant Health Elective officially approved and registered in BUAP catalog for spring 2024.

• Pediatric residents’ language immersion: Clinical Team Leader debriefed with the two pediatric residents who completed Spanish immersion in October. Our Dell Med contact for this program is in Puebla through mid-November to vet the new language school in Puebla. For AMPATH Consortium members interested in language immersion in Puebla, our team can share details of existing programs in Puebla and each Consortium member/each university/program will be responsible for connecting and establishing a potential linkage with the language schools as these are outside of AMPATH.
• Early November: Global Health student interest group kickoff dinner. Our staff attended to share student involvement opportunities.

RESEARCH:

• SOPs: We continue to complete the relevant SOPs.
• Working Groups: Our team continues to support the six existing and two new Working Groups to meet and plan their community projects, and plan for in-person time at Puentes 2023.
• Puentes October 23 and 24, 2023: Our UT and BUAP teams hosted this collaborative research summit.
  • o Connected Texas Global and a new nursing faculty contact (provided by Julie Zuniga) for a UNAM Spanish for medical professionals’ partnership.
  • o 80+ health experts from three US academic institutions, three Mexico health institutions, and a Canada health institution gathered to advance health areas of most priority for marginalized communities in both rural communities in Puebla and in Central Texas.
  • o Eight Working Groups – Evaluation, Diabetes, Nutrition, Maternal Health, Mental Health, Cardiology, and Health Education – met to share their expertise, identify needs in both geographical areas, and determine and/or continue to pursue initiatives to improve access to care for those who need it most.

CARE:

• CHEER Ecostove project: launched in the community in November. AMPATH/MAPAS clinical team currently conducting household visits including an interview, health evaluation, and air quality measurement. We also are simultaneously following up patients with NCDs/serious health issues identified in last multidisciplinary health outreach.

• Clinical Team Leader attended and served as a judge in the first scientific poster competition for pasantes completing their social service year in research.
• October 25: Visit to San Francisco Xochiteopan and Colonia Agrarista communities and Hospital General de Atlixco (HGA) with IU AMPATH Leadership and Mariana Benavides from Lilly.