title: An Ethiopian Training Program in Neurosurgery with Norwegian Support.
abstract: After a 4-year planning period, a joint Ethiopian/Norwegian training program in neurosurgery was started in June 2006. The collaborating partners were Addis Ababa University; Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital; University of Bergen; Haukeland University Hospital; and Myungsung Christian Medical Center, a Korean missionary hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A memorandum of understanding was signed at dean/chief executive officer levels. Although other initiatives have been involved in supporting neurosurgery in Addis Ababa during the same period, this institutionally founded program has been the main external contributor to neurosurgical capacity building through the education of 21 Ethiopian neurosurgeons, and in supporting a sustainable environment for neurosurgical training within a network of 5 centers in Addis Ababa. This article gives an account of the strategies underlying the program planning, the history of the program, and on the experience gained by it. Finally, ethical problems and challenges encountered in the program are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine K1, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Neurosurgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: mljo@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lund-Johansen
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tsegazeab
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laeke
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abenezer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tirsit
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tadios
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munie
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Mersha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahlu
authors.affiliation: Addis Ababa University, Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Hagos
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Biluts
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine K1, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Neurosurgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wester
mesh_terms: D005002:Ethiopia; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education*; D009664:Norway; D016730:Program Development; D014146:Training Support / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Education; Neurosurgery; Sub-Sahara; Training