Washington, DC, 15 October 2024 – The American International Health Alliance (AIHA) announced today the launch of a new project to build institutional and human resource capacity at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia and Philippine General Hospital in Manilla, Philippines.
With the generous support of his family, the Dr. Joseph R. Masci Legacy Project will honor the life of Dr. Joe Masci, an infectious disease specialist and public health leader who spent more than 40 years working to improve the lives of patients in New York City and around the world.
“AIHA is grateful for the privilege of implementing this two-year project that will honor Dr. Masci’s legacy as a physician, teacher, mentor, public health leader, and highly respected AIHA partner,” said AIHA President and CEO David Greeley.
Dr. Masci was a leading figure in New York’s response to HIV/AIDS, post-911 emergency planning, and preparations for Ebola and other possible emergencies. He also served as chief medical advisor on COVID for the city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Working with the Masci family, AIHA selected the two hospitals based on our existing relationships with both institutions and our local presence, which will support effective management of the project.
In close collaboration with stakeholders at Philippine General Hospital, AIHA will support the reconstruction of the resident-fellow training hall, which was destroyed by two devastating fires this past year; provide scholarships that will enable 10-15 residents to complete a mandatory specialty study abroad course each year; provide technical assistance to strengthen the hospital’s pandemic and emergency preparedness; and establish an HIV and infectious diseases mentorship program.
“By addressing these key areas, the project will contribute significantly to service, training, and research,” said Dr. John C. Añonuevo, Chairman of Philippine General Hospital’s Department of Medicine. “As trainees and faculty serve in various capacities throughout the country, the knowledge, skills, and perspectives gained through these initiatives will have a ripple effect, enhancing healthcare delivery across the Philippines,” he explained.
In Ethiopia, AIHA will work hand-in-hand with the Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital team to improve access to continuing professional development training opportunities for health workers at the referral hospitals, as well as the cluster hospitals it supports. Other priorities include improving the quality of nursing services by enhancing and expanding skills-based competencies of nurses; implementing quality improvement initiatives designed to address significant gaps identified in infection prevention and patient safety; and refurbishing and upgrading the hospital’s Continuing Professional Development Center and Nursing Skills Lab to better support quality training and upskilling activities.
Discussing the importance of establishing a well-organized Continuous Professional Development Center, Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital CCO Dr. Nigussie Tefera said, “Our goal is to expand training to develop a skilled, multidisciplinary health workforce to help ensure patient safety and combat hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance. The staff we will train will in turn train other hospital staff, along with those working at nearby health facilities.”
Explaining the rationale for supporting the project, Elizabeth Bass, Dr. Masci’s widow, said, “Joe thought everyone should get the kind of care you’d want for a member of your own family. Over the decades, he tried to instill these values in the many young doctors he taught and mentored. After his death, we were truly surprised at how many of these doctors – now no longer so young – contacted us from around the world to tell us how much he inspired them.”
Stressing her vision for the project, she said, “We hope the project’s impact will be multiplied as the health workers trained through it not only treat patients, but also share their skills with other workers and serve as mentors themselves. This would be right in line with what Joe tried to do – learning from others and teaching and mentoring generations of young physicians.”