Developing Health Course 2023

The Developing Health Course (DHC), which in 2023 was on 8-15 July, is aimed at health workers serving in global health and mission and those preparing to go. The input of bursary students from around the world enriches the learning experience for everyone. This year, we welcomed health professionals from Burundi, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Poland, and Nigeria. The course has also become a focal point for Christians in the UK involved in global health and mission and has fostered the building of relationships and a 'community of practice' that continues through the year. It runs each July at the London School of Theology.

Alison, a midwife working for several years in South-East Asia, shared:

When I first went overseas it was very difficult. The year after I went, I came to the Developing Health Course. It was so inspiring, and I learned a lot and met such great people. The spiritual side of it was such a blessing. It was great to meet up with people who know what it's like to live in a low-resource setting, and to learn from each other. It inspired me to go back and do even more. I think I probably would have given up if I hadn't had something like this course to learn from and to be encouraged.

This year we added a Saturday afternoon Mission Fair event with talks on 'Why mission?', 'The role of the Church in Mission', and how you can engage with the national believers when you go to work outside of the UK (including the work of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association - ICMDA). We were joined by twelve mission agencies who had exhibition stands and were available to talk with participants.

The theme for this year's course was 'Serving with Humility in Global Health'. The clinical teaching programme included training on building healthier communities, disability, mental health, paediatrics, acute care, palliative care, non-communicable diseases, women's health, and leadership. Many clinicians with significant cross-cultural experience gave their time to deliver stimulating and relevant teaching.

In the evenings, we covered topics such as integral mission, working in multicultural teams, handling conflict, engaging in a post-colonial world, and going out and returning to the NHS.We used a wide range of learning activities - case studies, workshops, small group presentations, skills stations, complex learning scenarios, and online teaching by subject experts from India, Germany, and Uganda.

Relationships grew through sharing meals, a BBQ, a frisbee, and walks, providing significant personal encouragement. The course has evolved in the 50 years it has been running. Most of the course participants are now younger healthcare professionals planning to serve abroad for a year or two. Health workers serving overseas now come back to the UK more frequently for shorter periods. A two-week course has become one week, with online training events offered through the year.

Contact us if you are interested in attending next year (13-20 July 2024 at London School of Theology) or if there are other ways that we can support you in your journey in global health and mission. Email globalcoordinator@cmf.org.uk or visit cmf.org.uk/global/dhc

Dave Moore is Associate Head of CMF Global

CMF member Shirley Heywood receives health award

In September of 2023, Shirley Heywood, a UK trained gynaecologist working in West Nepal since 2003, received the eleventh annual Swasthya Khabar Health Award from Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, for her work with International Nepal Fellowship (INF) over the past 20 years establishing a service for repair of obstetric fistulae.

The Swasthya Khabar Health Award is a flagship annual event of Nepal Live Group, honouring health professionals and organisations working in Nepal's health sector. This is a recognition for the work of Shirley and her team towards Nepal achieving the third Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages.[1],[2]

INF's small team of outreach workers covers three provinces in West Nepal, speaking to government at provincial, district, and local levels, giving orientation to community groups, mothers' groups, health workers, and female community health volunteers to find women with fistulae and to encourage safe birth practice. They have partnered with the Nepali government hospital in Surkhet to provide fistula surgery since 2009, initially through annual camps, but since 2018 in a 17-bed specialist fistula treatment centre.

CMF would like to congratulate Shirley for this award, and also to give God the honour for the fantastic work he has done through her and her team to improve the lives of Nepali women. The recognition of the importance of this work by the government is very encouraging.