School of Pharmacy Professors Assist Colleagues in Ethiopia in Fight Against HIV The School of Pharmacy, in collaboration with Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian North American Health Professional Association (ENAHPA), and other U.S. institutions conducted a six-week course from June to July via videoconference on advanced pharmacology of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for practicing pharmacists in Ethiopia. Conducted from the Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library, the course objective was to provide a forum for health care professionals on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to share their experiences, exchange information, and generate ideas for future partnerships.

Hailemeskel

“HIV is the leading cause of death in Ethiopia,” said Professor Bisrat Hailemeskel, Pharm.D, director of Drug Information Services within the School of Pharmacy and co-coordinator of the Distance Learning Project. “Drug shortage is a major issue and lack of affordability to buy them makes things more complicated. Through videoconferencing, we are able to contribute to this deadly disease by training pharmacists who live and practice pharmacy in Ethiopia without leaving their homeland.”

He said the results of the conference have been beneficial to all involved. Not only has there been “a request to extend training, but the country’s DACAR (the equivalent to the Food and Drug Administration), is now seeking funding from major resources, including the World Bank, USAID, etc., to launch a major training program using the model we have used, and Howard will play a major role in compiling proposals and designing the program.”

Hailemeskel, along with professors Monika Daftary, Pharm.D., and Fred Lombardo, Pharm.D., represented Howard. Other participating agencies included the Mayo Clinic, University of Maryland, Bethany Negash Memorial Foundation Inc. and Columbia University.

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