DUSHANBE, April 26, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Ten public health educators from Dushanbe, Khatlon, and Sughd reunited in Dushanbe to speak about their experience on their recent U.S. Government sponsored exchange Community Connections program to the United States, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe reported today.

The U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Necia Quast welcomed these participants and congratulated them on their successful completion of the three-week professional exchange program.  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the program, which sent the public health educators to Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.

While on the trip, they met with their U.S. counterparts and exchanged ideas on public health education and management, including public health management systems, educational training of healthcare professionals, healthcare policy, organization, and finance at the state, city and community levels.

Their American counterparts showed them the benefits of a holistic public health approach, and how to involve a wide cross-section of partners to resolve public health problems.  The program included discussions, panels, site visits, and volunteer opportunities focused on how government bodies, private organizations, institutions of higher education, and citizens can improve community health through education, management, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research.

The group visited the University of Alabama’s School of Medicine in Birmingham to learn about their medical education programs and curricula.  They were introduced to the selection, application, and evaluation of instructional strategies in healthcare education and staff development.  They visited the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia to meet CDC staff members and discuss infectious and chronic disease surveillance, health promotion, and disease prevention.  With their U.S. counterparts, the Tajik participants developed new perspectives on their work in Tajikistan, including how to improve public health curricula at undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate medical educational institutions and in community outreach programs.

The professional component of the program was complemented by cultural experiences and excursions.  Participants lived with American families and enjoyed visits to NASA’s internationally renowned U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the Longhorn Rodeo, the Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City Gardens, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the CNN Center in Atlanta, and other places of interests.

The Community Connections Program is one of the many assistance projects made possible by the American people through USAID.  Since 1992, the American people, through the United States Embassy in Dushanbe, have provided approximately $900 million in programs that support Tajikistan’s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth.