Engaging Public Health Professionals in Malawi and Zambia through a Global Health Fellowship Program

The purpose of this project was to develop synergy among participants from Malawi, Zambia, and the United States that focuses on health strategies to educate women and children in reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation. Malawi and Zambia share not only a common border but also many of the same health problems. Both countries have adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations as targets for development including reducing the maternal mortality ratio; reducing the mortality rate among children under the age of five years; improving hygiene and access to safe water, and improving nutrition. This program involves twenty eight (n=28) health professionals from Malawi and Zambia participating in a four week exchange program in which they spend three weeks at Virginia Tech and one week in Washington, DC. During this time participants were educated about American public health best practices to address similar health problems. In addition they spent one week working with a public health professional in an immersion experience. This culminated in an action plan that they implement when they return to their country. An American team of public health professionals visited each participant 4 months after implementation of their action plan. The process for partnering with in country health agencies to select candidates, learning American public health best practices, immersion experiences, action plans and follow-up were all successfully planned and implemented. This project represents a successful international partnership and it is recommended that more of these types of opportunities be available.