Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital

Hallym University Medical Center(HUMC) invited nine trainees from Paraguay to a two-week program, 'A Training Course on Maternal & Child Healthcare Center Management,' from May 22 to June 3

The Paraguayan trainees consisted of administrative officers of the Ministry of Health, directors of Villa Elisa Hospital, Capiata Hospital, and Limpio Hospital, and doctors. Lectures and clinical practices by Hallym medical professors focused on a Korean medical system, an organization of a medical institution, an emergency care system and their operations, maternal healthcare, and care for children and newborns. They also toured the city of Seoul which included the Gyeongbok Palace and the Seoul Worldcup Stadium.

Hallym was designated in March, 2009, as a Project Management Consultant(PMC) of the Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA)’s official development assistant(ODA) project to reduce maternal and child mortality rate in Asuncion, Paraguay. As a PMC, Hallym has been consulting for the establishment and operation of maternal and child healthcare center, and organization of medical equipment and facilities, while training doctors and nurses to enhance medical quality of the region

Dr. Seok Woo Kim, the PMC director, said, "The Asuncion area is a place that has marked the highest mortality rate of mothers and children in Paraguay. We believe improving the medical quality of the region is a must. This training program, I hope, will turn out to be the very first step to boost the development of the regional healthcare."

By Jong Hun Im, Int’l Operations Team, HUMC (imjonghun@hallym.or.kr)