My name is Olubukola Fakunle, a fourth year Pharm.D student at the Howard University School of Pharmacy. I am currently on an international pharmacy rotation at the Howard University Pharmaceutical care And Continuing Education (PACE) Center under the supervision of Dr. Rosalyn C. King.

During my time spent on this rotation, I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge in the field of public health in relation to international and global health by exploration as well as by direct discussion with my preceptor. On April 11, 2007, I was privileged to go to the Africare House, home of Africare . a Washington, DC-based organization that provides aid to Africa.

During my visit, I met with Dr. Clarence Hall and Dr. Charles DeBose. Dr. Hall started his career at Africare in 2000. Before that, he worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Zambia and currently holds the position of the deputy director for the Office of Health and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Charles DeBose, on the other hand, worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for 28 years before his appointment as the director of the Office of Health and HIV/AIDS in 2004. In an effort to enlighten me, both Dr. Hall and Dr. DeBose gave a little history of Africare while explaining the strategies developed by Africare to assist communities in Africa. The strategies include prevention of HIV/AIDS, implementation of HIV/AIDS programs in African societies, development of their Service Corps volunteer program and lastly, the education of Africare staff on HIV/AIDS.

Africare has mounted programs in 20 countries in Africa, launched the Service Corps volunteer program in 10 countries and trained non-health workers who in turn educate the general public on certain diseases (like HIV/AIDS) as well as assist in healthcare delivery. The Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program and the reproductive health program are just two current emphases for projects led by Africare. The OVC program utilizes the services of lawyers to combat the legal issues of dealing with children in Africa while the reproductive health project makes an effort to reduce the mortality of infants and mothers.

Overall, my visit was a rewarding experience because I had the opportunity to meet some of the pioneers in public health and gain valuable international health and development insights. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my preceptor, Dr. Rosalyn C. King, for creating the avenue for this great experience through my rotation.

Alexandra Nnadike, a Doctor of Pharmacy candidate (May '04, Howard University College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences) is the newest extern in the International Pharmacy Rotation at the PACE Center, Howard University Continuing Education.

A native of Nigeria, she chose the rotation to help expand her knowledge and awareness of health practices and pharmacy service delivery in other parts of our global community as well as to explore international opportunities for pharmacists. While at the PACE Center, Alexandra is also increasing her ability to indepen- dently conduct research on a topic of mutual interest and in line with Center projects. During the five weeks she is with us, Alexandra, in addition to other assigned duties, will critique journal articles and prepare a presentation to be given at the end of the rotation on “The Pharmacist's Role In Addressing the Issue of Counterfeit Drugs in Anglophone West Africa, Especially Nigeria”.

Alexandra's educational background includes the Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Benin in Nigeria. Of the rotation, Alexandra says, My eyes have been opened to the many other opportunities available to the Pharmacist, apart from traditional Pharmacy practice.

The PACE Center International Health and Pharmacy for Students initiative began in 1998 to expose pharmacy students to the wide field of international health. This two-part program included a 5-week rotation in the Professional Experiential Practice Program of the Howard University College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and a lecture as a part of the Pharmacy and the US Health Care System course in the Pharmacy curriculum. Students have had opportunities to research related topics and apply their knowledge and skills both at home and abroad. She is the fourth in a line of externs for which the PACE Center has provided skills training and we look forward to others to come!

Therapeutic Update for Pharmacists: Management of Type II Diabetes (175-070-01)

This is an online, asynchronous program designed to provide pharmacists with the information to appropriately care for their diabetic clients. The course is comprised of six lessons, case studies, quizzes and a final exam. Participants will be allotted twelve weeks to complete the program. Pharmacists who complete it successfully will be awarded 0.5 continuing education units (CEUs).

Pharmacy students spend elective rotation at PACE site in Abuja, Nigeria

L to R: Diana Solana-Sodeinde (4th year Pharmacy Student Howard University), Emmeline Igboekwe (Hollingsworth Scholar, University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy)

Under the International Health Rotation, an elective rotation designed by the PACE Center and a part of the Experiential Practice Program within the College of Pharmacy, two pharmacy students, a 4 th year student from our own College of Pharmacy and the other a 2 nd year student and Hollingsworth Scholar from the University of North Carolina, elected to spend a five week rotation in Abuja, Nigeria with the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Nigeria (GHAIN) project. The GHAIN project was designed to rapidly strengthen and expand HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment and is funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Currently, the project is a partnership between four international organizations, the Axios Foundation, Family Health International (FHI)- the managing partner, the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (GLRA) and Howard University . Students spent 5 weeks in Abuja at the Country Office supervised by the project's Pharmacy Officer, Mrs. Eno UbokUdom and by Dr. Dorothy Oqua also of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development in Abuja . For more information on the details of the elective, contact Dr. Rosalyn C. King at rking@howard.edu