A joint program of the FMDHS, University of Melbourne and St Vincent's Health Australia
In India, 250 million people do not have access to adequate healthcare. Poverty and ill health exist in a vicious cycle. Accessing local quality health and disability care is unaffordable and healthcare costs push an estimated 55 million into poverty each year. The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) is at the forefront of providing affordable healthcare to those at the margins but their potential has not been realized.
CHAI was founded by University of Melbourne graduate, Dr Mary Glowrey, in response to the health needs of the poor across India. Today, CHAI is one of the world's largest health network and largest provider of healthcare in India outside the Government of India. Their 3,520 member institutions provide affordable services to more than 20 million people each year including the most marginalized and rural from India.
But the work is far from done. CHAI's potential is not being fully realized and its leaders lack access to high level training. To realise Mary Glowrey's vision to reach the poor of India, CHAI needs more highly trained and strategic healthcare leaders - like Mary. Mary not only had vision, commitment and determination but she had a world class training from the University of Melbourne and St Vincent's and she built on a network of collaborators and input from Melbourne.
The University of Melbourne's Sister Mary Glowrey initiative will provide world class leadership training and support for emerging leaders from CHAI and their partners. CHAI will strategically select scholars who can increase the reach, impact and quality of its health services. CHAI scholars will undertake University of Melbourne short courses, subjects and degrees. They will also receive support to apply their learning from Melbourne to initiate and implement novel approaches to deliver health care at the margins.
These Sister Mary Glowrey Scholars will continue the legacy of Sister Mary Glowrey - who used her training and expertise to develop systems and programs to promote the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged people across India.
With the support of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, St Vincent's Health Australia Ltd, Ormond College (The University of Melbourne).