Health Link for pharmacist-led public health programmes in Zimbabwe: developing education pathways through partnership.

Background: Forming collaborations and partnerships across borders is a principal componenet of transnational education practice. One approach to establishing transnational partnerships is to form alliances based on best-practice. Pharmaceutical public health education and training and the delivery of pharmaceutical services with a public health message is an area where transnational approaches can be fostered.

Objectives: The objective of the project was to establish a partnership (Health Link) between the pharmacist professional bodies of Zimbabwe and Great Britain in order to develop the capacity and capabilities of pharmacists in Zimbabwe to deliver public health programmes.

Methods: The process involved partner selection and engagement, as well as engagement with a range of stakeholders. The methods of engagement involved partners‟ meetings, a field visit to Zimbabwe for discussions with relevant stakeholders, a feedback workshop and dissemination activities. The set indicators of success were: agreed aims and objectives, agreed work streams, and establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Outcomes: The project was successfully implemented with two of the three indicators of success (agreed aims and objectives and agreed work streams) achieved. A formalized Memorandum of Understanding is now being developed across the partner organizations, which forms the basis of a formal transnational approach to developing pharmaceutical public health education in Zimbabwe.