Business & Money | Monday 17 February, 2020 5:03 am |

As part of their Continuing Medical Education (CME) endeavors, a total of 2,125 healthcare professionals from 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa have so far completed a Boston University Post Graduate Program for Pediatric Nutrition since its launch in 2016, with the support of the Nestlé Nutrition Institute. The completion of this year’s program was celebrated at a symposium and graduation ceremony held in Dubai, in the presence of speakers from Boston University in collaboration with regional medical experts.  

 

“The Post Graduate Program in Pediatric Nutrition is designed to help update healthcare professionals on the most current information in the field so they can integrate pediatric nutrition into clinical practice; and to familiarize them with evidence-based guidelines and recommendations on key aspects of pediatric nutrition,” said Dr Clifford Wayne Lo, Adjunct Professor of Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Harvard Medical School, Associate Professor Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School. 

 

“Nutrition lies at the core of the healthy development and general wellbeing of all people, though it is of particular importance during a child’s formative years, especially the first 1,000 days of life that lay a foundation for growth and development,” said Sophia Jalal, Nestlé Nutrition Business Executive Officer in the Middle East & North Africa. “Education is an important part of the Nestlé Nutrition Institute strategy to share knowledge and further global understanding of the impact of nutrition at every stage of life, and we are very proud of the feedback we’ve received from participants across the Middle East and North Africa over the past four years regarding the positive impact this program has had on their practice.” 

 

The PGPN consists of seven modules that have been offered online through healthcare professional development leader MedInscribe since 2014, with Nestlé support since 2016. This collaboration between Boston University School of Medicine and Nestlé Nutrition Institute has allowed both entities to support the advancement of medical knowledge in nutrition, ensuring high levels of scientific credibility and participant completion rates.

 

Close to 3,600 healthcare professionals from around the world took part in the 2019 sessions held in October and November, of which 340 healthcare professionals from the Middle East & North Africa.  A total of more than 19,000 participants from 91 countries benefited from the program so far. 

 

Participant Testimonials

 

“The program offers a lot of information that benefit both my patients and my career. Excellent program that I recommend for doctors and all who want to learn about nutrition,” said Dr. Rim Aref Maarouf from the United Arab Emirates.

 

“The subjects were very practical,” said Dr. Samar Zawdeh from Lebanon. “We learned a lot about various nutrition topics, and the courses helped change my understanding of nutrition’s impact on children’s health.”