Canadian Physician In Zimbabwe Recognized By Royal College Of Physicians And Surgeons Of Canada

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is pleased to present the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award for the first time ever to
Dr. Paul Thistle, FRCSC, who has built his life around serving the people of rural Zimbabwe.


"Where health is concerned, globalization is a reality - disease and illness know no boundaries and we are increasingly interdependent in our approach to solutions." says Dr. Louise Samson, FRCPC, Royal College President. "The Royal College has a global reach with Fellows practising in 88 countries worldwide. Their contributions are valued and deserve to be honoured."


The Royal College launches the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award in 2008 to recognize the work of Canadian physicians who go beyond normal expectations to deliver health care worldwide.


Dr. Thistle has been the chief medical officer of The Salvation Army Howard Hospital in Glendale, Zimbabwe since 1995. In his time there, Zimbabwe's life expectancy dropped to the lowest in the world. Faced with monumental challenges, Dr. Thistle has kept his hospital's doors open providing a high level of health care to a population suffering from poverty and HIV/AIDS.


"As part of the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award, the Royal College is proud to offer $5,000. on Dr. Thistle's behalf to The Salvation Army World Missions." says Dr. Andrew Padmos, FRCPC, Royal College CEO. "This money is expected to go along way in supporting Dr. Thistle's continued work at Howard Hospital."


The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national, not-for-profit organization that oversees the medical education of specialists in Canada by setting high standards for postgraduate medical education and continuing professional development. In collaboration with health organizations and government agencies, the Royal College also plays a role in developing sound health policy in Canada.


Royal College Of Physicians And Surgeons Of Canada

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Backgrounder


Paul Thistle: Multi-faceted physician excelling under pressure


Dr. Paul Thistle, FRCSC, is graduate of the University of Toronto and a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology. In 1995, he accepted a posting at The Salvation Army Howard Hospital in rural Zimbabwe - a country characterized by the World Health Organization as one "plagued by food insecurity, economic crisis and one of the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates."


Dr. Thistle is a dedicated clinician. Of the three physicians at Howard Hospital who attend to its 2,500 deliveries per year, he is the only specialist. As a result, he is on call day and night to offer his expert support. Dr. Thistle has been instrumental in bringing a number of critical programs to the region. Among them, he secured USAID and Ministry of Health funding in 2003 to start and maintain an antiretroviral program that currently treats close to 1,200 patients.















Dr. Thistle is a teacher and a researcher. He has taught and mentored many students and residents whether from Zimbabwe, Canada or elsewhere. He has 20 publications to his credit on topics ranging from perinatal HIV transmission to antiretroviral therapy and rural maternal health issues in developing nations.


Dr. Thistle is an advocate. He and his wife Pedrinah, a nurse and midwifery instructor, facilitate funding for the education of 300 AIDS orphans, also helping to mentor them. His "Hockey Night in Zimbabwe" is a small example of an important outlet for play and social development for many of these children. Dr. Thistle works 16-hour days and yet a holiday back to Canada usually involves speaking engagements, educational events and advocacy for international health, his hospital and his work.


In June 2008, Dr. Thistle is receiving both the Royal College Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Windsor, Ontario.


Doctors Teasdale and Corti: A legacy of service in the developing world


The Royal College's Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award is named in honour of Dr. Lucille Teasdale, FRCSC, and Dr. Piero Corti, a physician couple who devoted their professional careers to healing, teaching and improving the condition of the population residing in the poverty-stricken Gulu region of Uganda. For 35 years the couple served in this region, characterized by frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provided medical care throughout nearly 25 years of Ugandan civil war and unrest. Their medical and surgical skills saved thousands of lives; their teachings instilled hope for a better future in many; and their perseverance transformed a small missionary dispensary into the St. Mary's-Lacor Hospital, which is now a modern teaching hospital and medical centre almost entirely staffed by Ugandan health care professionals.