Team Tanzania returns to Africa to support the efforts of the Phil Simon Clinic Tanzania Project

Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars Sinai, announced that its volunteers from Team Tanzania recently returned to Africa to support the efforts of the Phil Simon Clinic Tanzania Project (PSCTP). The PSCTP is a nonprofit organization that provides clinical and specialty care, veterinary care, education and social work in East Africa. It also offers a health care scholarship program to alleviate the shortage of physicians and nurses in Tanzania.

“We are excited to announce our return to Tanzania after a 5-year COVID-induced hiatus,” said Phil Simon Clinic Director Kimberly Shriner, MD, FACP, medical director of infection prevention and control, Huntington Health and founder of Phil Simon Clinic Tanzania Project. “Although we accomplished a lot with the growth of our scholarship program here during the pandemic, it is always wonderful to be back on the ground with our colleagues and friends in East Africa.” 

On this 12^th trip to Arusha, Tanzania, Dr. Shriner and 14 Huntington-associated volunteers – with specialties in OB/GYN, internal medicine, dermatology, social work, pharmacology, infectious disease, emergency medicine, nursing, education and more – will support PSCTP efforts and continue to enhance the scholarship program.

“This trip is a strategic planning event with a focus on our scholars, their futures and setting up research and career opportunities,” said Dr. Shriner. “We will be reaching out to several academic centers in Northern Tanzania to establish future venues for our medical-surgical team members.”

In 2002, the first PSCTP team of health care workers arrived in Northern Tanzania. The team’s mission was to tackle the AIDS epidemic in Tanzania and alleviate the suffering of its people. Since then, more than 130 Huntington employees and physicians have donated their time, money and expertise to provide health care, medication, HIV and anti-retroviral education, and support to the impoverished region.

This year’s team is also working on an international project that focuses on One Health initiatives and human-animal interrelatedness. One Health aims to improve the lives of all species by integrating human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental science.

Although infectious diseases and other detrimental factors remain a challenge for Africa, PSCTP’s  support, education, research and compassionate volunteers have had a positive impact on Tanzania and will continue to do so.

To learn more about Phil Simon Clinic Tanzania Project, visit: philsimontanzania.org