ZIMBABWE will be hosting the 13th edition of the International Federation of Medical Students Association’s (IFMSA) African Regional Meeting (ARM) which will run from the June 17 to 23 at the ZESA Training Center in Harare.
By Michael Gwarisa
The meeting will be held under the theme Medical Social Accountability in Resource Limited Environments and will be divided into 3 sessions namely the Pre-ARM, the ARM and the Post-ARM with the theme.
Speaking to HealthTimes, the event Public Relations Officer, Takudwza Mushambadzi said the meeting will be attended by not less than 200 medical students from around Africa.
“The IFMSA- ARM is an annual regional gathering outside the IFMSA General Assemblies for all African medical students coming from candidate, associate and full members in IFMSA, and ZiMSA was elected to host the this years meeting.
“The meeting will see about 200 Medical Students from over 23 member Nations converge to deliberate issues affecting Medical Students in Africa and the future of Healthcare on the African Continent. World Medical Association on several occasions. IFMSA’s activities range from raising awareness on public health, human rights and reproductive health issues to involving students actively in medical curricula reforms and medical education,” said Mushambadzi.
The Pre ARM will run from 17-20 June and will be a be a three day series of workshops where medical students will undergo through trainings in workshops.
“This will be taking place at The University of Zimbabwe’s Diamond Lecture Theatre. The workshops will be under the various Standing Committees and the topics are specifically chosen to suit the African Medical Student. This part of the meeting is exciting and filled with interactive activities that aims to give an overall wholesome training through the various workshops.
“The pre-ARM is aiming to provide the medical students with skills and knowledge that will enable them to become competent medical practitioners. The sessions will be constructive and enjoyable as they also aim to provide a conducive environment for learning.”
The ARM Proper will run from 21-23 June whereas the Regional Meeting will be taking place at the ZESA Training Centre, Harare. This is another 3 day series that constitutes the theme event.
“The theme as aforementioned is Medical Social Accountability in Resource Limited Environments. Social accountability is the capacity to respond to society’s priority health needs and health system challenges to meet such needs.
“According to the Mwanawachi programme in 2013, “Phenomenal economic growth is emerging in many African countries. At the same time, a substantial number of African countries have had several rounds of multi-party elections, which we could assume represents a deepening of democracy. Yet inequality is also increasing, threatening to undermine that economic growth and to erode the achievements already made in delivering the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.”
In most countries, there is a substantial disconnect between the background and specialties of health workforce graduates produced by our academic centres and the priority health workforce needs of the country and communities graduates are to serve.
“Despite the fact that healthcare provision consumes substantial public resources, little attention is devoted to their social mission. Therefore as African medical students we need to take a stand and create a health system that is socially accountable. What exactly is our role as medical students in taking this first step in our countries? How do we go about it? – These are the questions we should be able to answer by the end of the meeting.
The Objectives of the ARM Delegates will given the space to learn and think about the different situations in their health systems and how they got to be the way they are now.
Delegates will also have a constructive space to share their experiences, thoughts, and finally to discuss what medical professionals and medical students can do to create a socially accountable health system in resource limited areas.
Understand how social accountability is assessed to help the delegates know where their country is and the end goal in terms of social accountability.
The International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) is a non-political and non-profit organization recognized as one of the oldest and largest student-run organizations in the world. IFMSA was established in 1951 after the end of World War II to serve as a platform for unity, collaboration and peace among medical students.
IFMSA has a broad representation of 136 member organizations (NMO) from 127 countries across the continents and works in close relation with several non-governmental organizations from all over the world.
IFMSA has a special consultative status within the United Nations, and has been recognized as the representative for medical student worldwide by the World Health Organization and the World Medical Association on several occasions. IFMSA’s activities range from raising awareness on public health, human rights and reproductive health issues to involving students actively in medical curricula reforms and medical education.
The IFMSA- ARM is an annual regional gathering outside the IFMSA General Assemblies for all African medical students coming from candidate, associate and full members in IFMSA, and ZiMSA was elected to host the this years meeting. The meeting will see about 200 Medical Students from over 23 member Nations converge to deliberate issues affecting Medical Students in Africa and the future of Healthcare on the African Continent.
