With a view to bringing about significant improvements in the precarious health situation facing the country, UIC Barcelona hosted, during the 2017-2018 academic year, three doctors, one midwife and a surgical nurse from Equatorial Guinea, who had the chance to undertake practicums on the Sant Cugat Campus.

In the 7th edition of this initiative, the participants were given the opportunity to attend the Postgraduate Diploma in Surgical Nursing, Anaesthesia, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy, as well as several classes on the subject of Otorhinolaryngology from the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine. These professionals from Equatorial Guinea also undertook practicums in the facilities at the Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya. All of this knowledge will go towards benefitting Bata General Hospital and the SOS Children's Villages in the city of Bata (Equatorial Guinea).

In the words of the participating doctors and nurses, “being able to see new work models and broaden our training has been a really positive experience. The knowledge we’ve acquired will help us change how things work at our medical centres and share information with our colleagues”. Also, “Our tutors and classmates are wonderful people who are very committed to their work and gave us the chance to treat patients, not just theoretical knowledge”.

This was the seventh edition of the project led by the Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, in cooperation with UIC Barcelona, the NGO Más que Salud and the Quirónsalud Foundation. The initiative aims to promote the specialisation of professionals in various fields of health and, to date, has contributed to enhancing the training of 21 doctors and nurses from Equatorial Guinea.