The Lao Government has awarded a Friendship Medal to UNSW Emeritus Professor Arie Rotem for his contribution to the country’s health sector.

Over the past five years, Professor Rotem, from the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, has been working with the Ministry of Health to improve human resource development. The work was funded by the Asian Development Bank.

“One of the great satisfactions of working in Laos was seeing the implementation of quality standards at the main teaching institution, the University of Health Sciences,” says Professor Rotem.

“We helped design materials that will improve teacher preparation, ultimately helping the next generation of health workers.”

Other contributions included the development of a strategic plan for human resources and facilitation of activities designed to strengthen the University and provincial training institutions.

The work will ultimately lead to better recruitment of qualified health workers, helping get essential services to remote and disadvantaged areas.

He also helped develop training seminars for teachers and administrators, including teaching exchanges with countries including Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Professor Rotem was presented with the Friendship Medal by the Lao PDR Minister of Health Professor Eksavang Vongvichit.

Media contact: Susi Hamilton, UNSW Media Office, 0422 934 024

 

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