ABOUT THE EVENT

Acute cardiac conditions such as myocardial infarction are rapidly becoming more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, but many hospitals lack the infrastructure – either in terms of equipment or trained staff – to provide the highest standard of care for cardiac patients. This Think Global panel will explore how health systems in three countries are taking steps to improve capacity to care for acute cardiac conditions, including long-range investment in training programs for doctors and technicians.

SPEAKERS 

Gerald Bloomfield, MD, MPH, (moderator) joined the faculty in Medicine and Global Health after completing his Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship training at Duke University Medical Center and Duke Clinical Research Institute. Bloomfield also completed the Duke Global Health Residency/Fellowship Pathway and a Fogarty International Clinical Research Fellowship. He received his medical education, internal medicine residency and Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University. Bloomfield leads a longstanding research and capacity building program on cardiovascular global health which includes work in under-resourced communities in the US and a number of low- and middle-income country settings including a partnership with Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.

Farhala Baloch, MBBS, FCPS, is an Assistant Professor of Cardiology and Fogarty Fellow NIH in Department of Medicine Aga Khan University Karachi Pakistan. She has earned a Fellowship in Adult Cardiology from College of Physician and Surgeon Pakistan (CPSP) in 2018 and currently pursuing a PhD in health sciences. Dr. Baloch's clinical and research work focuses on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with a particular emphasis on CVD in pregnancy, implementing and measuring patient reported Outcomes. She has special interest in developing a contextual care pathway In the Care of pregnant women with CVD in developing country.  

Felix Barasa, MBChB, MMED, is a consultant physician and cardiology at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya. Dr. Barasa first became involved with the Hubert-Yeargan Center as part of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence as a cardiology fellow in 2010. As he progressed in his own clinical practice at MTRH, he began to serve as a research mentor and supervisor for Duke trainees working in the CCU at MTRH. In 2019, with the HYC, he helped to develop and launch the Moi University – Duke Cardiovascular Fellowship program. He currently oversees the fellowship program, providing curriculum structure and giving lectures in partnership with Duke colleagues, Drs. John Lawrence and Titus Ng’eno. Dr. Barasa’s research interests are in heart failure and cardiomyopathies. He has served as site PI on several influential projects such as the IMPI protocol, the CREOLE protocol and the INVICTUS trial. 

Julian Hertz, MD, MSc is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine & Global Health. Dr. Hertz's research focuses on using implementation science methods to improve cardiovascular care both locally and globally. His current projects involve developing interventions to improve acute myocardial infarction care in Tanzania, to improve management of hypertension among Tanzanians with HIV, and to improve post-hospital care among patients with multimorbidity in East Africa.Dr. Hertz has received numerous awards for clinical, educational, and research excellence, including the Duke Emergency Medicine Faculty Teacher of the Year Award, the Duke Emergency Medicine Faculty Clinician of the Year Award, and the Duke Emergency Medicine Faculty Researcher of the Year Award. 


This is a hybrid event with both in-person and remote attendance options. Attendance in person is encouraged. Lunch will be available.