On the night that a silent movie won best film award at the Oscars I felt transported back to the very same era in Moscow. Stalinesque buildings, elegant cathedral-like metro system, and fur coats to keep off the bitter cold. But at the national paediatric meeting attended by 3000 from across this huge country, the talk was of innovation, new technology, and quality of life measures which were bang up to date. more…

In Ramallah in January, the talk is only of delight over the much needed heavy rain, even though it comes with biting cold and a strong mountain wind. For British visitors leaving  the warmest autumn in decades it is a shock and in the auditorium for the graduation even the speakers wore overcoat and gloves. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health delegation, accompanying the president professor Terence Stephenson for the ceremony to confer certificates for the diploma in Palestinian child health, shivered, but the warm welcome together with the presence of British government and WHO representatives and the University President at the graduation, made up for the cold outside. This is the third graduation to be attended by the President and each speaker, together with the students themselves, expressed their deep appreciation for the work of the College over the past decade in bringing the course to fruition. Now the work continues as the ownership of the teaching is handed over to the Palestinians themselves. more…

The Arab revolution was in our minds during our regular visit to the West Bank for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) child health teaching programme. Would there be an occupied square in Ramallah? Would the youth be on the streets calling for political change? Would the doctors be out bravely supporting  demonstrators?  What would be the effect on the peace process? more…

Istanbul by train sounds a long way, but it offers a much lower carbon footprint than flying and was also a richer experience. Not quite the Orient Express, and the slow trundle through the Romanian countryside seemed interminable, but allowed plenty of reading time. And there were a few interesting encounters – which doesn’t happen when travelling by plane. more…

Being a member of a Nobel peace prize-winning organisation confers pride but not necessarily a sense of direction. Both were overwhelmingly present at the 19th Congress of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War in Basel, which was attended by a record number of doctors and medical students from North and South America, Europe, the Middle and Far East, and Australasia. more…

At a time when the news coming out from Gaza is deeply depressing, it is good to report some entirely positive developments in relation to paediatric teaching.

Ten years ago, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health tried to establish its teaching programme in the occupied Palestinian territories. This was due to commence in Gaza in 2001, as at that time, the Minister of Health was based there and all the planning meetings took place in Gaza city (at that time not the subject of an embargo by Israel). For many reasons the teaching programme did not commence until 2006, and by then access to Gaza was becoming very difficult. The course is going very well in the West Bank, and thirty students have so far graduated with a Diploma of the RCPCH in Palestinian Child Health. more…

Connecting four countries by video on a Friday afternoon could be an exercise in technological disaster

But with obstetricians, midwives, and paediatricians present at the delivery, a safe and healthy passage was guaranteed, and indeed all went smoothly at the first global conference on climate change and maternal and child health held at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG),  in London. more…

Ten years after the inception of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health teaching programme in the occupied Palestinian territories, the third 2 year cycle is about to start. The purpose of the team’s visit was to offer an Education for Educators course for new tutors. This was a two day course covering educational principles and practice in large and small group teaching, from buzz groups to the doughnut round and including educational appraisal. more…

At the weekend we attended the most profound and moving event for health progress that we can remember.

This took place at the Royal College of Nursing – founded in 1916 in the middle of the most awful war of the last century, and now at the heart of change  in which nurses are in the front line of health care. more…

Attending the graduation ceremony for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Child Health Diploma programme in Ramallah I fantasised over the effect of the course on children’s health. We want to see the following: thriving, well nourished infants, lively and independent minded children, healthy teenagers with high self esteem, disabled youngsters who are well rehabilitated and integrated in society … all topics being covered in our teaching. more…