Introduction of Cheragh Medical & Higher Educational Institute:
Due to civil war in Afghanistan all the infrastructures including the educational system has been destroyed. After the establishment of Islamic Republic Government of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Higher Education for better services gave permission for Private sectors to establish higher education institutes for our young generations.
There are a lot of problems in the health sectors because numerous people are going to neighboring countries for treatment and diagnosis but sometimes unfortunately they are returning without any satisfied result. For this reason we opened the private Medical and Educational Institute and standard Hospital to help our people and our young generation.
Cheragh Medical & Higher Educational Institute (CMEI) was the first private Medical and Educational and Health Institute which has been established as a model on 23 August 2008. The location of CMEI is at Qala-i-Fathullah, Kabul.
After the approval of resolution No. 49 dated 11 February 2007 Ministerial Council Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Cheragh Medical & Higher Educational Institute obtained the license on 08 April 2008 from Ministry of Higher Education and opened its doors to the student on 23 August 2008 in Qala-i-Fathullah.
To overcome the problems of potentially stranded of CMEI, quickly put into advisory board meeting facilitating through senior politician, social welfare workers and well known personalities. So for, they held six initial meetings to solve main issues and problems that further demonstrate the full support and grant great values to the CMEI.
List of Members of Advisory Board:
1. Mr. Mohammad Esmaeel Qasemyar ( President of the Board)
2. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Farahi, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (Vice President of the Board).
3. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief of the Executive of the Committee of Afghanistan
4. Ms. Rona Omedi, Founder of Cheragh Medication and Educational Institute
5. Mr. Sayed Mansoor Naderi
6. Mr. Zolmai Hiwadmal,
7. Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Rasooli
8. Mr. Mohammad Sharif Faez, President of American University of Afghanistan
9. Mr. Noor Mohammad Qarqin,
10. Mr. Hamedullah Amini, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Higher Education
11. Mr. Baktash Seyawash, Member of National Assembly
12. Ms. Sultana ParVanta, the first Chancellor of CMEI
13. Mr. Khalilullah Sediq, President of Da Afghanistan Bank
14. Mr. Khozhmand Olumi
15. Dr. Rashed Noormal, President of National Institute of Public Health
16. Chancellor of CMEI
17. Voice Chancellor
18. Heads of Faculties at CMEI
Programs at Cheragh Medical and Higher Educational Institute (CMEI)
At CMEI, there are two major programmes:
1. Academic medical education
2. Provision of health services
1- Academic medical education:
Cheragh Medical and Higher Educational Institute has curative, dentistry and pharmacy faculties which trains youths in standard modern medicine that student will be enable to pass international medical exams such as USMLE and PLAB successfully.
Curative faculty has six departments as follows:
· Department of General Sciences
· Department of Para clinic
· Department of Basic Medicine Sciences
· Department of Clinical Studies
· Department of Surgery
· Department of preventive medicine
CMEI has standard lecture classes (equipped with modern laboratories equipment’s), library, internet facility and Cafeteria for food.
At CMEI two entry exams are held in a year and one in each semester (half year) about 100 students are admitted that will be trained for next 7 years periods including one year internship.
The curriculum at the institute is designed in accordance with the guidance and requirements recommended by the Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Afghanistan with cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO), and from other well-known medical universities of world and neighboring countries. Every academic year includes two semesters, spring and autumn semester.
Spring semester starts on March 20, finishes on August 5, beginning of final exam is August 6, end of final exam is on 26 August. Holidays start on August 27 and holidays finishes on September 20.
Fall semester starts on 21 September, finishes on 28 January beginning of final exam is 29 January, end of final exam is on February 18 holidays start on February 19 and holidays finishes on March 20.
Every semester continues four months (16 weeks), in addition two weeks for middle and three weeks for final semester exam. Friday and Saturday is holidays.
Cheragh Medical & Higher Educational Institute (CMEI) has three methods of teaching:
Lecture which lecturer present it:
1- Conducting laboratory experiments and learning lab methods.
2- Practice at hospital with Role players.
3- Student-Centered Learning (SCL) Problem Based Learning (PBL), Case Based Learning (CBL), Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and Outcome Based Education (OBE).
First entrance exam in CMEI was on September 2008, that official delegation of Ministry of Higher Education, Kabul Medical University and Kabul University has overseen it.
At CMEI, the teaching staff is mostly experienced professors, and medical professionals with M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.
CMEI has advisory board, academic council, chairman, faculties, department, academic members and administrative staffs.
This institute launched scientific-research journal in a short time and has some scientific relation with different countries. Its other achievement is modern science books, learning CD’s for lecturers and students, and creation of website www.cheragh.edu.af
2- Cheragh Teaching Hospital
CMEI established Cheragh Teaching Hospital with the goal of offering health services that may extend its services in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Surgery with the 50 beds facilities for patients.
The CMEI and teaching hospital has been constructed in the area of 4,000 meter square in 7 story building.
Summary of 10 years of performance of CMEI
1- Provision of medicine education:
· Curative faculty was simultaneously established with CMEI, currently there is credit system and it includes 14 semesters. This faculty has 293 students that 147 are males and 146 are females.
· Dentistry faculty was established in 2012 and at present its students are in the 1st , 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th semesters. Total students are 90, 36 female and 54 male.
· Pharmacy faculty was established on 2017. Currently this faculty has one class.
· Six terms of curative medicine students were graduated and presented to the society.
· One term faculty of Dentistry students were graduated and presented to the society.
· CMEI has professional lecturers who are in degree of MD and PhD. In total there are 80 lecturers that 25 lecturers are permanent and the remaining lectures are contracted from Kabul Medical University and Ministry of Public Health.
· Faculties of curative medicine, dentistry and pharmacy have 10 teaching classes, equipped with computers, LCD screens, white board and other conventional things for lecturers and students.
· CMEI administrative section has 15 staff.
· CMEI has six well equipped laboratories for practice lessons of Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Embryology, Pharmacology, Molecular cell biology, Chemistry, biochemistry, pathology and microbiology. Laboratories are equipped with light microscope, LCD screens for education uses and display of videos.
· Curative faculty curriculum at the institute is designed for seven years. Six years is theoretical and practical subjects and one year is internship. In accordance with the guidance and requirement recommendation by the Ministry of Higher Education, government of Afghanistan with cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO), and from other well-known medical universities of the neighboring countries and the world.
· Dentistry faculty curriculum designed for five years that four and half years are theoretical and practical subjects and half year is internship and the students are graduated as MD.
· Pharmacy faculty curriculum designed for four years that consists of theoretical and practical subjects.
· Student-Centered classes PBL (Problem based Learning), CBL(Case Based Learning) and OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical examination) and Out Come Based Education (OBE) are carry out by professional teachers that were trained in foreign countries such as Japan, who are founder of this program in Afghanistan.
· Introduction of OSCE center.
· Conferences are held for capacity development of lecturers, doctors of CMEI. So far thirteen conferences were held by lecturers and doctors of CMEI and other scientific and academic institutes as follows:
a. Diagnostic and treatment skills of H. Pylori
b. Evaluation of Cardiac diseases and Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
c. Hepatitis B management
d. Extra pulmonary Tuberculosis
e. Bronchial Asthma
f. Scientific conference for Afghanistan
g. Small bites and big risks
h. Good manufacturer product (GMP)
i. New Tsunami disease such as Ebola
j. Methods of improving of lectures and preparing questioners
k. Two online conferences with Pasteur scientific and research institute of Iran
l. Women cancer in Afghanistan with cooperation of Ministry of Public Health, Kabul University and World Health Organization (WHO)
· Some lecturers of CMEI participated in inside and outside conferences. The Vice Deputy of CMEI can be mentioned in the Research method Ministry of Public Health and in Methods of teaching and improving of educational qualities for three months in the United States of America.
· CMEI has several committees such as research, disciplinary, examination board, curriculum and guidelines monitoring, publications, journals, cultural, quality assurance, OSCE, and sports which are under direct supervision of the Vice Deputy of CMEI. The mentioned committees are responsible for monitoring lecturers and exams, keeping discipline and… etc.
· CMEI has well equipped physical and digital library that has Internet facilities and learning CD’s of medicine, for utilization of lecturers and students. It has 2750 general books in three different languages English, Pashto and Dari.
· CMEI has a book bank in the name of (Cheragh Intesharat) which provides and distributes various books. In addition (Cheragh Intesharat) publishes books of CMEI lecturers as (Environmental protection) of Ghulam Dastgeer Khawareyn can be mentioned. (Cheragh Inteshart) provides books from neighboring countries such as Iran, India and Pakistan for access of lecturers and students. At present, it contains 180 types of books.
2- Provision of Health Services:
Cheragh hospital was established in 2009, in order to train the students in the medical field and practical lesson.
This hospital has internal medicine, surgery, pediatric, orthopedic, obstetrics –gynecology, dental clinic and skin and cosmetic services.
Obstetrics–gynecology wards have ten rooms and 20 equipped beds, standard operation theater, recovery room, delivery room, dilated curettage room and neonatal room.
Surgery and orthopedic wards has eight rooms which contains 16 beds, operation theater requirements and recovery rooms. Also, it has Intense Care Unit (ICU) rooms, equipped with modern recovery instruments for critical patients of internal medicine, and pediatric.
CMEI has 24 hours nursing service.
CMEI also provide free medicine for tuberculosis patients under Direct Observation Treatments (DOTs) regimen. Also provide free medicine for family planning. Hospital staff is 23 persons.
CMEI hospital has laboratory services and diagnostic tools such as X-ray, ECG, ETT, Ultrasonography for hematology, immunology, microbiology and hormonal tests. Over 54898 patients visited this hospital still.
Advisory Body of CMEI is intended to extend services that cover training of students at the hospital and practical works and to serve the people in better way.