USMF "Nicolae Testemitanu", UNICEF signed Memorandum of Understanding in child and adolescent health

Chisinau, April 19 /MOLDPRES/- State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) "Nicolae Testemitanu" and UNICEF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that provides for joining efforts to strengthen the competencies and skills of students, resident doctors, teachers and medical workers in the health, development and well-being of children and teenagers.

The document was signed by USMF "Nicolae Testemitanu" rector Emil Ceban and Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in Moldova.

"For our university it is an honor to collaborate with UNICEF. Together we have beautiful results, the university departments participate in joint actions and projects to raise awareness and promote children's health, immunization, address these issues at scientific conferences, develop national clinical protocols etc. Strengthening the partnership by signing this memorandum is very important both for our institution and for the Republic of Moldova, because the health of children and adolescents is a national and global concern. We assure you of further effective cooperation, development of undergraduate and postgraduate curricula by integrating topics and educational platforms targeting children's health for the training of specialists in accordance with international standards," said Ceban.

"The signed memorandum expresses our commitment to integrate the latest evidence in both immunization and early childhood development within curricula for students and health professionals to ensure better quality of care and development of children and adolescents in Moldova," said Damaj.

Thus, both institutions will collaborate to integrate the Interpersonal Communication in Immunization module into the curricula of undergraduate and continuing medical education programmes. In this context, the first training course was launched for 18 teachers of the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Paediatrics. The module aims to strengthen the communication and personal counselling skills of health workers so that they are able to interact with parents, carers and vaccine recipients, identify, understand and address their concerns, fears, questions, misinformation and hesitations about immunisation.

Both sides will also work together in the area of early childhood development. Thus, a digital learning platform on early childhood development will be integrated into undergraduate and postgraduate curricula and will be aimed at students and practitioners, social workers, nurses and family doctors who provide home visiting programmes for early intervention for children with developmental difficulties.

The Memorandum of Understanding is valid for three years.