<div class=Absno style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">XVI International AIDS Conference </SPAN></div> <div class=Absno style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">(2006 : Augusto 13-18: Toronto, Canada )</SPAN></div> <div class=Absno style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN> </div> <div class=Absno><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Telemedicine in Perú : training physicians responsible for the administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in a developing country.-- v. 2 p.:463 (Abstract 0820) </SPAN></div> <div class=MsoTitle><SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><B>I</B></SPAN><B>ssues:</B> With support of the Global Fund, free HAART was implemented in Peruvian public hospitals and health centres in
2004. This effort included the conformation and training of multidisciplinary teams (physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers) responsible for the care of people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the country. Physicians working in remote regions would administer HAART for the first time and had to be thoroughly trained with limited resources.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B>Description</B>:The Telemedicine Unit of The Alexander von Humboldt Institute of Tropical Medicine developed a long-distance course on “Use of antiretrovirals” using an electronic platform as “classroom”. Participants could access internet in their locals hospital or in public cabins which are widely distributed throughout Perú. The course took place from April-December 2005, covering 12 modules each lasting 2 weeks. Topics included adverse effects, antiretroviral schemes, resistance, vertical transmission, ethics, among others. (see <A
href="http://www.upch.edu.pe/tropicales/telemedicinatarga">www.upch.edu.pe/tropicales/telemedicinatarga</A>). Each module consisted of a pre and post test, presentation, discussion forums, clinical cases and summaries of scientific articles.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B>Lessons learned</B>: Sixty-eight physicians from 21 of the 24 Peruvian Regions started and 81% (n=55) successfully completed the course. While 73% (n=41) were already administering HAART, the others were waiting to be programmed by the Ministry of Health. Forty-nine physicians participated in an evaluation at the end of the course. They all pointed out the usefulness of the course in their daily practice; 98% (n=48) classified the course as good/very good and 88% (n=43) stated that the operational system was easy/very easy to use.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B>Recommendations</B>: After the successful implementation of a long-distance course about
use of antiretrovirals, this course will be repeated for a broader target group of Peruvian physicians administrating HAART. Telemedicine has shown to be a powerful and practical tool for continuous training of health care personnel throughout the country and for the reinforcement of quality care to people living with HIV / AIDS.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-RIGHT: -42.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-RIGHT: -42.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Saludos</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-RIGHT: -42.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-RIGHT: -42.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">-- <BR>**********************************************<BR>Lady Murrugarra<BR>Work Group - Telemedicine - e-Le@rning<BR>Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Alexander von Humboldt"<BR>Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia<BR>Oficina : 511-4823910, 4823903 anx 15<BR><A
href="http://www.upch.edu.pe/tropicales">www.upch.edu.pe/tropicales</A> <BR></div><p> 
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