The first cohort of the MSc Global Healthcare Leadership course headed to Thailand recently to gain hands-on experience and knowledge of the country’s healthcare system.

Forming part of a module looking specifically at healthcare systems in areas of conflict or deprivation, the week-long trip also provided the opportunity for students taking the two-year, part-time online master’s degree to meet health workers and professionals involved in shaping and delivering healthcare among vulnerable groups in Thailand.

Accompanying the cohort were Professor of Global Healthcare Ian Cumming OBE, Myanmar Country Director-THET Dr Thinn Hlaing, Module Lead Paul Jackson, Programme Director Dr Suhad Daher-Nashif, and School of Nursing and Midwifery Lead for Internationalisation, Dr Ivan McGlen.  

After arriving in the country, the group were introduced to all aspects of the Thai healthcare system by Professor Wanicha Chuenkongkaew from Mahidol University, Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert from the Thai Ministry of Public Health, and the team in the Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine at Siriraj hospital before heading to Mae Sot, a city in western Thailand.

Founder of Mae Tao clinic, Dr Cynthia Maung, gave a presentation on the work of the hospital, which provides healthcare to Burmese refugees in the border areas and is funded almost exclusively by donations. Presentations were then given by several organisations providing healthcare on both sides of the border, including KDHW (Karen Department of Health and Welfare) and BPHWT (Back Pack Health Worker Team).

Student Rehan Symonds said: “Visiting the Thailand-Myanmar border provided a profound insight into the resilience and struggles of the Karen ethnic minorities in the context of healthcare under extreme conditions. This experience underlined the challenges faced by healthcare workers who can often be poorly literate themselves, dealing with numerous unfamiliar languages but delivering basic, yet vital, primary medical services in a precarious setting.”

The group then left Mae Sot for a four-hour drive to a refugee camp on the southern border. Welcomed by the camp residents with a cooked meal and a traditional dance performance from the children who live there, the students were able to see firsthand how few medical resources were available. Speaking to members of the care team at the local clinic, the students were impressed with their resilience and mechanisms to cope with ill health inside a conflict area with minimal resources.

Student Karol Kuczera said: “In the face of numerous ongoing challenges and severely limited resources, the resilience and warmth of the community were profoundly striking. This trip highlighted the incredible work done with so little, and with so many political and social challenges, especially in border areas."

Finally, the group visited a community antenatal clinic, a local maternity hospital and a Tuberculosis camp all run by Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU). This was followed by presentations from Professor Francois Nosten, Dr Rose McGready and others on the work of the unit in providing care and conducting research in the country.

Student Christian Flynn said: “This field trip enhanced our understanding of the complexities surrounding migrant health and highlighted the resilience and dedication of those at the forefront of providing essential healthcare under challenging circumstances.”

For more information on the course, click here.