The BroadReach Institute for Training and Education (BRITE) is announcing a large-scale implementation of its Management and Leadership Academy (MLA) program in Zambia, with support from The Merck Company Foundation. The goal of the MLA program is to conduct management and leadership training for healthcare professionals in all nine provinces of Zambia, across twenty-seven target districts. The Merck Company Foundation will support this effort with a total funding commitment of $4 million through the end of 2014. BRITE will receive additional financial support under the USAID-funded Zambia Integrated Systems Strengthening Program (ZISSP), implemented under the leadership of Abt Associates.

Over the last months, BRITE and ZISSP have embarked in a close partnership with the Ministry of Health in Zambia, aiming for the MLA program to further enhance the Ministry's ongoing efforts to develop management and leadership capacity at various levels of the health system.

"At the Ministry we appreciate the focus the Management and Leadership Academy program places on building practical and immediately applicable management and leadership skills that are relevant in the context of the Zambian health system. We are pleased to work with our partners BRITE and ZISSP to implement a program that will help us address pressing issues of healthcare delivery, while also building the capabilities of our staff for the long run," says Peter Mwaba, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health in Zambia.

The MLA program will equip - in a sustainable manner - healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to lead, own and transform the delivery of healthcare in their own country, resulting in improved care and saved lives. MLA teaches results-based management and focuses on solving current challenges facing healthcare workers by combining on-site workshops with case studies and extensive mentoring of program participants.

The MLA approach is based on prior BroadReach Healthcare experiences in Botswana, Ethiopia and South Africa and teaches the practical application of acquired management and leadership skills to real-life issues and ultimately enables the transfer of skills to the work context in a sustainable manner. The combination of trainings case studies and mentorship sessions helps participants in their day-to-day duties while also preparing them for the practical implementation of future programs and initiatives.

"We strongly believe in the ability of our program to close a critical gap in local implementation capabilities, thereby serving as a powerful catalyst for the success of a broad range of healthcare interventions in developing nations. We are extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to roll out MLA across Zambia and look forward to a successful collaboration with partners in the Zambian health system as well as with our funders," notes Rebecca Stallbaumer, Executive Director of BRITE.

This collaboration is part of Merck's overall strategy to support innovative initiatives that can make a difference in people's lives and create a healthier future. Leslie M. Hardy, vice president, The Merck Company Foundation explains: "For a number of years, we have worked with the team at BRITE to support initiatives that teach critical management and leadership skills to ensure the success and sustainability of vital health programs in countries that need it most. We are pleased to support the MLA initiative in Zambia, and are confident that it can lead to improvements in management and leadership within the Zambian health system and also serve as a potential model for similar initiatives in other countries."

About BRITE

The BroadReach Institute for Training and Education (BRITE) is a non-profit international healthcare organization that seeks to create and deliver innovative training, education, and research services. BRITE's mission is to improve the lives of people around the world by increasing the quality of healthcare delivery, and strengthening the capacity of health systems, especially in developing nations. www.briteinc.org

About The Merck Company Foundation

The Merck Company Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation. Established in 1957 by Merck, a global healthcare leader, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck's chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit, charitable organizations. Since its inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed more than $600 million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and are consistent with Merck's overall mission to help the world be well. For more information, visit www.merckcompanyfoundation.org.

BRITE

BRITE

The BroadReach Institute for Training and Education (BRITE) is a non‐profit international healthcare organization that seeks to create and deliver innovative training, education, and research services. BRITE’s mission is to improve the lives of people around the world by increasing the quality of healthcare delivery, and strengthening the capacity of health systems, especially in developing nations

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