Dr Mounir Farag, Acting Regional Advisor, Hospital Care and Management, at the WHO Regional Office, in his opening remarks at the inaugral session of the course, thanked the University for their collaboration in offering the course and highlighted its importance in relation to a resolution of the Fifty-sixth session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region on improving hospital performance that has paved the way for the regional hospital strategy.
Dr Greg Moran, Provost of Aga Khan University, welcomed course participants and pointed out that the international presence of the university, with teaching hospitals located in Karachi, Kabul and East Africa, positions the University to effectively deliver training in hospital management to improve the health status of the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. He added that the University's collaboration with WHO on the course was an important stepping stone for improving hospital management in the Region.
Dr Fauziah Rabbani, Professor and Chair, Community Health Sciences Department, Aga Khan University, and Course Director, explained the rationale of the course and outlined its primary objective to build the capacity of hospital managers in improving hospital performance. Mr Peter Hatcher, Visiting Faculty and Course co-Director outlined the course components and methodology. He described the interactive, action-learning design of the course that comprises small group discussion and presentations and incorporates discussion of key principles and best practice examples, field visits and case studies.
