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August 23, 2001
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University partners with Kabul University
in reorganizing and reopening its school of medicine
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| G. Gordon Hadley, MD, inspects
a microscope in the new Loma Linda Center at Kabul University
in Afghanistan. Opening ceremonies for the new center took place
on July 4. |
There are few places in the world more devastated than Kabul, Afghanistan.
The capital city, nestled in the foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains,
was once a lively and cosmopolitan metropolis. But 20 years of war
have left their mark.
After forcing the Soviet Union to abandon Afghanistan, the Afghans
turned their weapons on each other in a series of factional civil
wars that have left their capital city devastated.
Now, Afghani nationals and Loma Linda University have joined together
in a unique partnership to assist in the rebuilding of Kabul University
School of Medicine.
The medical institute, once a proud entity of Kabul University,
has been ruined by the factional fighting over the past 10 years.
This is slowly changing—with the help of Loma Linda University.
Opening ceremonies for the new Loma Linda Center, located in a prime
area of Kabul University, were held on Wednesday, July 4, 2001.
“The Kabul University School of Medicine gave us one floor
of the school’s library,” says Joan Coggin, MD, MPH, vice
president for global outreach for Loma Linda University Adventist
Health Sciences Center, who is heading up the project. “This
has been transformed to the Loma Linda Center.”
The Loma Linda Center consists of four rooms. One area is reserved
for a teaching laboratory situation. Another area is devoted for
a tissue laboratory. A third area is reserved for a medical library,
and the fourth area is designated for computers that will be accessed
by students and faculty.
“The current library consists mostly of books and journals
dated prior to 1972,” says Jerry E. Daly, MSLS, MA, director
of the Del E. Webb Library, who is assisting Dr. Coggin with Loma
Linda and the Kabul medical school.
“Their collection has not grown at all. We are trying to rebuild
their medical library with standardized books and journals. We have
a standard list of books and a standard list of references materials
that we are trying to acquire.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations
has said that they will assist with the shipping costs from the
United States to Afghanistan.”
WHO has also given the Afghani medical school eight microscopes—including
one doubled-headed teaching microscope.
When Kabul University medical authorities decided they needed help
in rebuilding their medical curriculum, they knew exactly who to
turn to: G. Gordon Hadley, MD, dean emeritus of the School of Medicine,
and immediate past president of the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou,
the People’s Republic of China.
Dr. Hadley, who has been on the Loma Linda University School of
Medicine faculty for more than 50 years, established the pathology
department at the Kabul University School of Medicine more than
40 years ago. Some of his former students are now on the faculty
of the Afghani medical school.
“My wife, Alphie, and I went to Afghanistan in 1960 to work
in the pathology department. When we arrived, there was very little,
so we began essentially from scratch.”
Dr. and Mrs. Hadley spent several months in Afghanistan over the
past couple of years. They plan to return later this year for a
more extended stay to continue assisting in the redevelopment of
the medical school.
During one of Dr. Hadley’s trips back to Afghanistan, a government
health official pleaded with Dr. Hadley to come back and teach the
new Afghani medical students.
“I remember that I told him, ‘I’m 78 year old.’
And that was two years ago.
“He told me that was no problem. We just want you to come.”
One of the greatest needs for Afghani medical students now is qualified
professors, according to Dr. Hadley.
“We will be teaching in English. A few of the students ‘fight’
learning English, but they must realize that English is now the
language of science and medicine, and if they are going to be physicians,
they must know that language.”
A majority of the medical students are able to read and understand
English, but have difficulty speaking. To help alleviate this situation,
Loma Linda is planning to send two English language instructors
to Kabul to assist in the language program.
“The government is behind us in our desire to teach the students
in English,” Dr. Hadley states. “And they are behind us
in setting high academic standards—which we will do.”
Dr. Hadley continues, “I feel very warm towards the Afghans
because I have worked with them.
“Frankly, they are kind of desperate. They are tired of war
and they are suffering. The reason I wanted to come back was to
help the people. And the Afghan people need our help now.”
Currently, Dr. Coggin and other Loma Linda personnel are working
with the Afghani medical school in developing a curriculum that
allows visiting professors from Loma Linda to go to Afghanistan
to teach concentrated courses.
In 1996, Dr. Coggin; Dr. Hadley; Michael Ryan, PhD, director of
Global Mission for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists;
Gary Krause, also from Global Mission; and Denzil McNeilus, president
of Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI), traveled
to Afghanistan on a preliminary site visit to assess the needs of
the medical school curriculum and see what needed to be done in
the way of construction.
“We enlisted the help of Maranatha Volunteers International
headed by their president, Don Noble,” Dr. Coggin says.
Maranatha Volunteers International have an excellent track record
in construction projects around the world.
Mr. Noble sent Karl Schwinn, president of KS Construction, Phoenix,
Arizona, a long-time project manager for Maranatha, to head up the
construction project.
In addition to the teaching center, Mr. Schwinn and his Afghani
team also built a four-bedroom house and three apartments. This
complex is located approximately 15 minutes from the medical school
campus.
According to an agreement reached by Dr. Coggin and Afghani officials,
the house and apartments belong to Loma Linda as long as Loma Linda
is involved in the teaching process at Kabul University School of
Medicine.
When the agreement is completed and Loma Linda is no longer involved,
the housing complex will revert to Kabul University.
“Much of the infrastructure of Kabul University was destroyed
during the 20 years of fighting,” Dr. Coggin says. “Windows
were shattered by artillery shells, wiring was literally pulled
out from the walls and sold in neighboring countries.
“However, with the help of Maranatha Volunteers International,
much of this has been repaired in the areas where we will be working.”
One of the major difficulties that is faced by American teaching
faculty in Afghanistan now is the lack of adequate communication.
There are no phone lines from the medical school to the housing
compound. During Dr. Hadley’s recent stay in Afghanistan, he
communicated with Loma Linda by going to the central post office
where they had a few lines connected to Pakistan, and then from
Pakistan to the outside world.
“We could send faxes back and forth,” Dr. Hadley says.
“However, the post office had only one fax machine, and if
it was in use, that would present a communication problem.”
Loma Linda has asked for two telephone lines in the new center—one
for a telephone, and one for a fax machine—and telephone lines
for the living quarters.
“Things are changing in Afghanistan,” Mr. Daly says, “but
it takes time.”
Currently, the Internet is not readily available in Afghanistan,
but hopefully, that will be remedied in the near future.
Dr. and Mrs. Hadley, who are currently in Loma Linda, plan to return
to Afghanistan in September for six weeks.
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