Knowledge Transfer Across Continents: Burkinabe Physician Participates in Tropical Medicine Course in Berlin

Thanks to the support of the GIZ funding program “Klinikpartnerschaften,” we were able to continue our cooperation with the Institute for Tropical Medicine at the Charité (ITMIG) and enable the Burkinabe physician Marie Zemba to participate in the renowned course “The Clinical Management of Tropical Diseases (CMTD)” in Berlin. The two-week intensive course provides practical training in the diagnosis and management of severe infectious diseases in resource-limited settings and fosters professional exchange among healthcare professionals from different countries.

The CMTD course focuses on applied clinical decision-making. It centers on clinical syndromes such as fever, skin changes, neurological symptoms, or organ enlargement, which commonly occur in everyday medical practice. The goal is to teach realistic treatment strategies that can be adapted to different local conditions and limited resources. Interactive teaching formats, case studies, group work, and practical exercises, including Ebola outbreak management and the use of ultrasound for differential diagnosis, ensure a strong practical orientation.

The course content is directly linked to the health work of our CSPS in Burkina Faso. There, training and continuing education have not only enhanced professional knowledge but also strengthened the confidence of healthcare workers in their daily work. A key element of this work is preventive health education. Regular trainings and informational sessions are offered on family planning, birth preparation, early disease detection, nutrition, and vaccinations. This educational work continues in the Opera Village school, where healthy routines such as handwashing and brushing teeth together after lunch are integrated into everyday school life. The CSPS in the Opera Village has served since mid-2014 as the first point of medical contact for the surrounding rural area, relieving the district hospital and supporting it through jointly developed preventive programs. Women who previously had to give birth at home now receive medical support during delivery and qualified initial care for their newborns.

Since 2019, this work has been complemented by the EFFO project at the Robert Koch Institute, which supports the training of medical personnel and provides education on highly infectious diseases such as Ebola and coronaviruses. The participation of the Burkinabe physician in the CMTD course in Berlin is part of our long-term commitment to sustainable knowledge transfer. These achievements encourage us to continue strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in the region and to establish Opera Village as a permanent place of education, prevention, and health.