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International Aid Project
JICA training and dialogue programs
Training and Dialogue Programs of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which are implemented as part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Government of Japan based on bilateral agreement between both governments, is being conducted for three years, from 2009 to 2011.
Title of training programs
Lifestyle-Related Disease (LSRD) Prevention in the Community Health Setting in the Pacific Region
Background
In the Oceania region, the sickness rate and the mortality rate by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in recent years has been increasing remarkably. At the Oceania Conference of Health Ministers in 2005, an introduction of countermeasures for NCD proposed by the West-Pacific Regional Office for WHO (WPRO) was passed and the program was facilitated as a prioritized regional assignment in each participating country. Although effective counter-measure activities for NCD need a comprehensive program, knowledge and techniques for the reform are insufficient in the present medical systems. In particular, many nurses in charge of regional medical facilities have not received managerial education; therefore, their managerial ability is limited or unsatisfactory.
Based on the above-mentioned factors, the training program can be used to improve nursing services with the understanding of nursing management, and with leadership theory and methodology.
Objective
The course enables senior nurses responsible for providing community health services to enhance their capacity to plan, implement and evaluate preventive measures against LSRD, and disseminate their new knowledge and skills to their colleagues.
Overall Goal
By improvement of knowledge and technology of regional nurse LSRD measures, the number of health services practiced in the region will increase, and will be continuously executed.
Participants
- Nursing managers who work as community health nurses or health nurses
- Community health nurses or health nurses who work as educational leaders in Pacific countries
Organization of the university
The International Exchange Committee of the university is responsible for the program.
A variety of training courses are planned and conducted by collaboration among the Department of Health and Nutrition, the Department of Health and Sports, and the Department of Nursing. More than 20 teachers and staff members have responsibility for the programs.
Program
The preparation phase aims at ensuring meaningful time for the training program in Japan and the understanding and analysis of LSRD conditions in each participant's country. In addition, while the training program in Japan provides the participants with the necessary techniques and knowledge to execute satisfactory counter-measure programs for LSRD in each participant's country, the participants are also required to design a comprehensive program plan for their own country.
Training modules
This program consists of the following components:
| Module | Expected Module Output | Subjects / Agendas | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | To explain the current situation of problem on LSRD and its counter-measure for the participants'own countries and the Oceania region. |
|
Lecture Observation Discussion |
| 2 | To understand several treatment programs for symptoms of LSRD and their effectiveness in Japan. |
|
Lecture Observation |
| 3 | To learn the practical methodology of lifestyle-related behavior intervention and the instructional methods in Japan. |
|
Lecture Observation Exercise |
| 4 | To learn the comprehensive program for LSRD prevention and the method of planning and management for LSRD prevention in Japan. In particular, to learn the role of nurses in program management. |
|
Lecture Observation Discussion Exercise |
| 5 | To make action plans for the partipicants'own countries with regard to LSRD prevention. |
|
Discussion Exercise Consultation Presentation |
The participants are expected to share the output of the program with their stakeholders so that they can implement and monitor the action plan.
Physical exercise session (Module 3)
They learned why exercise is effective to prevent LSRD by lecture and how to teach exercise by practice.
Diet and nutrition session (Module 3)
They learned how much energy they need, how much energy they are eating, and what is balanced diet by lecture and practice of buffet-style.
Theory and practice to planning comprehensive programs for preventing LSRDs (Module 4-5).
Certifications presented from JICA and University.
Collaboration with Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center in Thailand
Brief Introduction The Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center (SNMRC) is one of the biggest rehab centers in Thailand, and it plays an important role not only in providing medical and rehab services to the region, but also in improving the quality of medical and rehab services provided throughout the whole country. In 2009, the SNMRC purchased new instruments in order to establish Evidence Based Clinical Practice there. The VICON system is one of those items, and it collects kinetic and/or kinematic information in human motions. Professor Yoshihiro Ehara at Niigata University of Health and Welfare (NUHW) was invited to the SNMRC as an expert on Motion Analysis, particularly in applying 3-D motion analysis systems, and he is expected to contribute to SNMRC staff's capacity development. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by and exchanged between the SNMRC and the NUHW on July 2nd, 2009, from which the collaborative relationship officially started. In the first and second meetings held at the SNMRC, the core members of the two institutions gathered and discussed overall activities expected over the next two years.
The following is one of the collaborative activities that were discussed and planned during those meetings:
The mission visited Thailand between 20 and 23 September, 2009. Dr. Yoshihiro Ehara and Mr. Kazuhiro Sakai of the NUHW visited the SNMRC. They had a meeting with the SNMRC'S core members regarding their Motion Analysis Project, and also attended the training course for introduction of VICON with the SNMRC staff.
First day (21 September, 2009): Training Course for an introduction to VICON was held in Bangkok. The lecturers were two staff from VICON Company, who attended the training course. One was from the VICON agency in Perth, Australia, and the other was from the VICON agency in Thailand. The trainees were four participants from SNMRC and several students from the Suranaree University of Technology. About twenty participants took the training course. The VICON (NEXAS) software for data collection was presented. Practical training on its operation followed.
In Thailand, VICONs are set up at three universities, namely, the SNMRC, the Mahidol University and the Suranaree University of Technology. It is said that more and more universities will have VICONs in the near future. At the agency of VICON in Thailand, technical service is not available, and the nearest VICON agency is the one in Perth, Australia. In this context, technical support from Japan is strongly expected.
Second day (22, September, 2009): A discussion was hold at SNMRC. The participants were Dr. Yoshihiro Ehara and Mr. Kazuhiro Sakai of the NUHW, Dr. Daranee, Director, SNMRC, Dr. Watchara, Vice-director, SNMRC, Dr. Piyavit (medical doctor) and Mr. Thawatchai, Section Chief of the PO. The following is the agenda discussed at the meeting. a. Dr. Ehara inspected the VICON room on 21 September. He pointed out some points that should be improved. b. Dr. Piyavit explained his hope in establishing cooperative research activities with the Japanese team. After a discussion, it was concluded that the first theme of the research would be "Normal Gait Analysis (bare foot/with shoes)". It was also decided that Dr. Piyavit would create a research plan with the cooperation of the research team. c. Dr. Ehara and Mr. Sakai proposed a tentative plan of a training course at the NUHW as the next step. The overall results of the discussion were as follows. 1. Two staff members will visit Japan in December or March for two to four weeks. They will participate in the training session in English with our students. The content of the training is on a basic knowledge of biomechanics. Basic movement of healthy individuals will be analyzed by VICON.
Mr. Sakai had an interview with Ms. Kinoshita, JICA, at the JICA Thailand Office. Mr. Sakai obtained information on a research grant from the JICA and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Also, Mr. Sakai reported the cooperation status between the SNMRC and the NUHW and acquired some information on the proposal procedures for obtaining research grants from JICA.
To briefly summarize the visit, Dr. Ehara and Mr. Sakai recognized that the VICON system set up at the SNMRC would work well, and the SNMRC staff was motivated to utilize that system for clinical service improvements. In addition to that, all the people concerned in the project, on both the SNMRC and the NUHW sides, have confirmed the specific goals for the next two years, and have understood each member's role and responsibility.
Flying wheelchair project in Niigata University of Health and Welfare
Introduction
The flying wheelchair project was started in the Tochigi Technical Senior High School in 1990 and has since spread around to other technical high schools. The aim of the project is to provide upgraded wheelchairs to Asian countries.
The Nihon Shakaifukushi Kohsaikai drew the attention of a number of Japanese schools and technical senior high schools to the desperate needs of the regions of Sri Lanka stricken by the recent Indian Ocean tsunami centered in Sumatra in 2004. As a result the students of the Omori Gakuen High School and the Niihama Technical Senior High School went to Sri Lanka and returned with strong feelings of the need for on-going support and a realization of the need to replace inner-tube tires with the tires of tubeless type that are more suitable to the circumstances of 2005.
Dr. Hisaichi Ohnabe (Visiting Professor of the University of Pittsburgh at that time, now Professor of Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Adjunct Professor of the University of Pittsburgh ) introduced its activities in the "Current Trends in Rehabilitation Engineering in Japan" during the 2005 international session of RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America). International recognition of the voluntary activity program is carried in an English language textbook for high school students, published in 2007. The book," Flying Wheelchair" for elementary and middle school students was also published in 2008. This information was sent to WHO via the University of Pittsburgh. Furthermore it is included in the education of assistive products in universities.
Fig. 1 System of Flying Wheelchair Project
The present article describes a history of this project in the Niigata University of Health and Welfare and more details about activities related to us.
History
Fig. 3 Volunteers in Sri Lanka with students of technical senior high schools and universities from Japan and the Republic of Korea
Fig.2 Wheelchair repaired by NUHW and given to the boy at Sri Lanka
A woman dressed in the back is one of our students
Though the above background information was available on this project, Dr. Hideaki Takahashi, President Emeritus, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, initiated and pushed and encouraged us to be involved in this project. Our roles in this project are [1] to repair and maintain used wheelchairs and to change tubeless tires to solid ones and then send them to the people who need wheelchairs in South-east Asian counties by hand and/ or by ship, [2] to introduce these activities to the areas of the world that hastechnical senior high schools, universities and other related organizations, (information dispatch from Japan to the world), and [3] to contribute to better Quality of Life in the world as the most rapidly aging country in the world.
We (one student and two faculty members) commenced our participation in Sri Lanka in 2006. The technical senior high school and university students, who repaired used wheelchairs during the international voluntary activities of the flying wheelchair, to which Korean high school and university students also participated, visited Sri Lanka beteen December 23 to 28, 2006 (Figs. 2, 3).
Furthermore, these activities were authorized in a government advocacy entitled "Japan and the Republic of Korea future joint project". We then contributed to the "Flying Wheelchair International and Interactive Repair Technique Conference" in conjunction with the 23rd Japanese Conference on the Advancement of Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology (23rd JCAART 2008) (Fig. 4). We also participated in a conference held in Indonesia (two faculties) in 2008 and in Thailand (two students and one faculty) in 2009 (Fig. 5, 6). Our experience was shared in the classroom to understand more about assistive products through wheelchairs (Fig. 7).
Fig. 4 Wheelchair repair volunteer activities at "Flying Wheelchair International and Interactive Repair Technique Conference in Niigata 2008"
Fig.5 With our students with two blushed up wheelchairs to bring by the fright to Thailand which we say "Flying Wheelchair"
One of them belongs to international volunteers' club in NUHW and has contributed to "Flying Wheelchair International and Interactive Repair Technique Conference in Niigata 2008"
Fig. 6 Students and volunteers from Japan, the Repabilic of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand with Buddhist priest of Mongkongchaiprasit Temple (so called wheelchair temple) in Thailand
Fig. 7 Students repaired and blushed up wheelchairs at the class.
One of them is a foreign student from Taiwan
We have helped dispatch information from Japan to the world in the following conferences;
[1] The 22nd, 23rd Japanese Conferences on the Advancement of Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology (22nd, 23rd JCAART 2008)
[2] The 1st , 2nd, 3rd Conferences on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of Korea
[3] International Concentration Meeting at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) 2009 Conference