MUHS, Sydney Univ to ink pact for child health course

Updated on: Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Nagpur: The University of Sydney and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to start Iternational Postgraduate Paediatric Certificate (IPPC) programme which is equivalent to Diploma in Child Health.

As a pilot project, the the University of Sydney has selected four cities of Maharashtra -- Nagpur, Aurangabad, Thane and Pune, said Dr Kathryn Currow, executive principal, Diploma in Child Health Services, University of Sydney. Once the MoU is signed, the University of Sydney will approach Medical Council of India for its nod.

Speaking to TOI, Swapnil Torney, public relation officer, MUHS, Mumbai confirmed the development and said, "we have indeed received a proposal from Dr Kathryn Currow to seek permissions to start short-term course in child health care."

He said a team of MUHS comprising Dr Uday Bodhankar visited Sydney and reviewed the courses being offered by the university. Dr Kathryn Currow and Robert F Tynan honorary fellow, Diploma in Child Health Services were in the city on Saturday.

Interestingly, the IPPC programme offered by the University of Sydney will be a distant education programme and the foreign university has already obtained no-objection certificate from state health secretary Bhushan Gagrani, claimed Dr Bodhankar. Dr Bodhankar, who is a local faculty member of the distant education programme, said eligibility for both the course will be MBBS degree.

Explaining the course module, Dr Currow said that the IPPC is a one-year part-time distance education programme which provides 111 hours of lectures and supporting material delivered on internet or on DVD. In addition, in each location, there is a one hour weekly tutorial given by expert paediatricians to supplement core IPPC material with essential local information. IPPC lectures and supporting material provide current best practice in child health care, claimed Dr Currow. The IPPC aims to improve the health of the children and young people by re-awakening and enhancing the knowledge and skills of doctors. It is jointly awarded by The Children's Hospital at Westmead and the Coppleson Committee for Continuing Medical Education of the University of Sydney. In India, it will be co-awarded by the MUHS, added Dr Currow.

As a distance education programme, the IPPC provides education for busy practitioners. Instead of having to leave home to learn, course participants can reinforce their new knowledge by implementing it in their day-to-day practice. This programme is affordable, approachable, accessible and portable, she added.

This programme started in Sydney in 1992 and expanded throughout Australia as distance education since 1998. The international programme was established in Hong Kong in 2005 and now extends to Cambodia, China, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Vietnam. "We are planning to commence IPPC from August next month," she said. With paucity of seats in post graduation courses in medical colleges in the country, the university is hoping to get good response. Dr Currow and Dr Tynan also visited three city hospitals and were impressed with the commitment of pediatricians.

But, they refused to comment over the technologies available in local hospitals. Interestingly it will be more affordable as compared to the PG courses in India and other countries, claimed Dr Bodhankar.

MUHS, Sydney Univ to ink pact for child health course

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