June 17, Belgrade

Karen,

Hi.  I'm presently in Serbia to launch the new CIDA-funded
CPHA-managed Strengthening Essential Public Health Functions in the
Balkans Program.  Leave here for home on Wednesday (or I should say
am working under the premise that I'll leave on Wednesday, as Air
France is on strike today and tomorrow and the French air controllers
are likely to be on strike on Wednesday).

Karen, I'm contacting you to help identify a Canadian who could
undertake a short-term (one week) consultancy here in Serbia, to
assist UNICEF and its local partners to evaluate in cooperation with
a local counterpart consultant whether and how the clinical practices
of MDs and patronage nurses has changed since the introduction of
UNICEF's Integrated Childhood Illness Management approach.  The
objective of IMCI is the integration of improved management of the
most common childhood and maternal illnesses with aspects of
nutrition, immunisation, hygiene, growth monitoring, safe motherhood.
The approach promotes the accurate identification of childhood
illnesses in outpatient settings, ensures appropriate combined
treatment of all major illnesses, strengthens the counselling for
those providing care (our UNICEF Serbia colleagues used the term
"caretakers", but I don't think this is exactly what they had in
mind) and speeds up the referral of severely ill children to
appropriate care givers.

The Canadian should be knowledgeable about the UNICEF/WHO IMCI
approach and have experience in conducting program impact assessment
(broader than having assessed only IMCI).  Prior experience in
working in the Balkans would be an asset.

Might you know of anyone who would be interested in considering such
an opportunity?  UNICEF would pay all travel related costs, as well
as local accommodation and meal/incidental expenses and local
transportation. UNICEF would be thrilled if we could get someone who
could undertake this mission on a voluntary basis, but I may be able
to seek a consultant fee if required.

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Very best regards.

Jim

PS: Unfortunately I won't be in Yellowknife but will certainly be in
Calgary in 2003, with several of our colleagues from the Balkans.

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