International Cooperation Office
The International Cooperation Office of the Institution of Physicians of Alicante, integrated in the Foundation of Medical Institutions for International Cooperation, was created in 2014 and pursues purposes such as health protection, development cooperation, promotion of volunteering and social action.
Doctors are increasingly aware of international cooperation, as evidenced by the fact that the demand to participate in these programs is growing and we consider that International Health Cooperation (both development cooperation and emergency aid) is also an intrinsic function of the medical profession, in addition to the traditional care, teaching and research functions.
The main objectives of the office are to inform and advise professionals interested in cooperation, who have not yet had any experience in this regard, to draw up a register of doctors who devote part of their time to international cooperation and a register of projects in which Alicante doctors participate, to establish relations/dialogue between COMA and the different health NGOs that are established in the pstate of Alicante, to ensure that health managers facilitate and encourage the participation of health personnel in international cooperation projects and programs, a situation that should be recognized in the professional curriculum, to carry out training and awareness activities in the areas of Cooperation and International Health and Tropical Medicine.
The main activities carried out by the office to date have been calls for grants for international health cooperation projects, conferences on international cooperation, course-workshop on the formulation of international cooperation projects in health and participation in international cooperation congresses of the Organización Médica Colegial.
In 2019, COMA will allocate 10,000 euros (0.47% of the budget) for International Cooperation, which represents an increase of 43% over 2018.
