Leaders from Indiana University's Office of the Vice-President for International Affairs, Vice-President for Research, IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs, IU School of Medicine, IU School of Nursing and Fairbanks School of Public Health joined academic, government and community leaders from Kenya, Ghana, Mexico, Nepal, Sweden, Canada and the U.S. for the 2024 AMPATH Global Gathering in Eldoret, Kenya.
More than 300 people attended the three-day event which was preceded by the AMPATH Kenya Research Retreat and opening of the Moi University and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital biobank.
This was the first time the Global Gathering was hosted by one of the AMPATH partner sites and the hospitality and hard work of the host Kenyan team was recognized and appreciated by all of those in attendance.
Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo, AMPATH executive director for care, welcomed attendees saying, “We are very excited that you all honored our call to come. Welcome to this magnificent event.”
Adrian Gardner, MD, MPH, director of the IU Center for Global Health Equity and executive director of the AMPATH Consortium of academic health centers, reflected on the history of the partnership. “Together we have improved access to quality health services for the people of western Kenya, and in doing so have saved many, many lives. Together we have taught, mentored and inspired the next generation of healers from multiple continents. And together we have produced impactful research that informs Kenyan and global health policy.
“But this [AMPATH] partnership has allowed us to do so much more. We have laughed together; celebrated together; dreamed together; learned from each other; struggled together; at times, bickered with each other; cried together; mourned together; and supported each other through good and challenging times,” he continued.
Professor Robert Kuremu Tenge, principal of the Moi University College of Health Sciences and Dr. Wycliffe Kosgei (representing Dr. Philip Kirwa, acting CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital) welcomed the guests on behalf of the Kenyan partner institutions.
Dr. Patrick Amoth, acting director general of health in Kenya, and Bert Ubamadu, deputy mission director for USAID Kenya delivered the keynote addresses.
Other honored guests included Hilary Kahn, vice-president of international affairs at Indiana University; Phaedra Corso, associate vice-president and vice-chancellor for research at Indiana University; Professor Isaac Kosgey, Moi University vice chancellor, as well as representatives from the Kenya Ministry of Health, many Moi University deans, USAID and the AMPATH Kenya Executive Committee.
AMPATH leaders from the partnerships in Ghana, Mexico and Nepal joined Kenyan leaders in providing updates about each of their partnerships and plans for the future. One of the highlights of the 3-day event was the first AMPATH Expo which featured more than 80 posters and booths from AMPATH programs throughout Kenya as well as partners in Nepal, Ghana and Mexico.
The IU leaders and leaders from AMPATH sites outside of Kenya visited AMPATH activities in local communities such as microfinance groups and local clinics. Attendees also participated in tours of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital facilities hosted by local clinicians.
Reflecting on the importance of the AMPATH Global Gathering, some of AMPATH’s newest partners lauded the opportunity to meet and share with their colleagues across the globe.
Dr. Ram KM Shrestha, executive director of Dhulikhel Hospital in Nepal said, “A gathering like this is very, very important actually. This also empowers us that we are not alone in that part of the continent. There are many others who have the same wild dreams to support those people who need us.”
“We are very excited to be in Kenya. This meeting is an eye-opener and the opportunities are great. We are keen to tap into the opportunities that are available and we want to thank all of the donors and supporters,” said Dr. Adam Atiku, CEO of Tamale Teaching Hospital in Tamale, Ghana.
Dr. Luis Guillermo Vázquez de Lara Cisneros, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) in Puebla, Mexico, lauded the 30 years of work that has been done in Kenya. “We had the opportunity to go to the communities and see what they are doing and that created a great impression on me. One of the things we’ll take back to Mexico is the microfinance protocols they have to improve the economics of the communities.”
Participants expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to network with colleagues from around the work, learn from sessions with various site leaders and see old friends and meet new ones. “I thought every aspect of the Global Gathering was great,” responded one attendee in the event survey.
