DUSHANBE, February 20, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik hospital managers and administrators gathered in Dushanbe on February 19 to discuss ways to introduce innovations in hospital management to local hospitals and clinics, press release issued by the US Embassy in Dushanbe said.

The press briefing and discussion were organized in honor of the return of Community Connections participants from three-week internships in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Participants in the USAID-sponsored Community Connections hospital management program lived with American families, met with U.S. healthcare professionals, and exchanged ideas on a wide range of issues related to hospital management.

In Charlotte, Tajik hospital managers visited a number of public and private hospitals, clinics and medical associations. In addition, a two-day trip to Washington D.C. allowed participants to visit more medical centers. The participants also visited the Embassy of Tajikistan in Washington, which gave them the opportunity to discuss their goals for the program and views on the development Tajikistan’s health sector with Ambassador Shirinov.

Participants appreciated the cultural aspects of the visit, particularly their home stays with American host families. “It is amazing how quickly you can come to understand American culture even if you do not share common language”, said Kholmatova Shozoda, CC alumnus and deputy director of City Health Center in Dushanbe. The participants shared their history, culture, and traditions with their American host families and friends, which helped Americans better understand Tajikistan and its people.

The USAID Community Connections Program offers community-based, three to five week practical trainings in the United States for business and professional organization leaders from Tajikistan. Community Connections is one of the many assistance projects implemented in Tajikistan by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on behalf of the American people. Since 1993 the American people through USAID have provided about $300 million in assistance programs that support economic growth, democratic institutions, health care, and education systems of Tajikistan.