What is PRIME not?

PRIME is not a group of Western-minded professionals who know-it-all and have a hidden agenda.

We genuinely desire to serve, and to empathise with the dilemmas that doctors and healthcare workers grapple with every day.  We wish to be there to understand the burdens being faced by the partners with whom we work and to seek ways together to deal with the problems, difficulties and needs that they face.

In our programmes and teaching resources we do not presume to dominate, but will provide a lead if doctors/healthcare workers wish us to.  We do not set the agenda and the format of teaching programmes as those who invite us have the pre-eminent say in what service and training they need, and how they would like to work with us in delivering it. We do not claim to have all the answers but our desire is to fit in with and interact with healthcare professionals to help them find solutions.

For our part, we always have an enormous amount to learn from those in the countries with whom we work and our wish is to enhance, develop and encourage the skills and qualities they already have, helping to unlock their enormous potential in new ways. That is our reward. For us this is always a two way process and we ourselves are constantly challenged, stretched and encouraged, often returning home even more empowered in our own medical work.

PRIME programmes differ from the usual NGO pattern of operation.

Tutors do not receive a per diem remuneration but provide their time and expertise for nothing while covering their own expenses for travel and accommodation. This reduces PRIME’s costs substantially and acts as an important witness to our colleagues who inevitably ask why experienced healthcare educators, many of whom are at the top of their profession, give their time and services free of charge.