Qualifications
M.D. (Tokyo Medical and Dental University)
Ph.D.(Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University)
D.T.M.H. (Mahidol University)
Obstetrician and Gynecologist, certified specialist by Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Affiliation(s)
School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University
National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Background
After having clinical experiences as obstetrician and gynecologist in hospitals in Japan for 13 years, I shifted the field of work into the global health since 1998. Started from a project funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to develop in-service training programs to reduce maternal mortality in Cambodia, followed by the manager of several ODA projects, e.g. to support establishing the national reproduce health program in Afghanistan, and to support developing a network of human resource for health managers in francophone African countries.
Research activities have been born from the program implementation in the field. Setting up a research team, we focused on human resources management, midwifery professional development, leadership and governance, and health system strengthening. Recently, we have been actively involved in the project to establish a screen-and-treat program of cervical cancer in Cambodia, the first joint project between two professional societies of obstetrics and gynecology in Cambodia and Japan.
Teaching
- Organized seminars, symposium, and side events at academic conferences in Japan and abroad on maternal mortality, human resource system development, regulatory framework development of nursing professionals, etc.
- Organized training programs in Japan for health professionals from abroad (physicians, nurses/midwives, health administrators) on maternal, reproductive and child health, human resource system development, cervical cancer management and pathology.
- Provided lectures on global health at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Juntendo University, Tohoku University, etc.
Research
Research topics have been focused on human resource system development to maintain qualified and motivated professionals towards UHC. Starting from post-conflict countries (developed an analytical framework as “House-model”), retention of health professionals in rural area in Africa, and on regulatory framework development in nursing professionals in ASEAN countries. Responding to the change in women and reproductive health issue from maternal death to cancer death, cervical cancer management is also the present field of research through implementing projects in Cambodia.
The country/countries where you work currently
Cambodia
Senegal, Demographic Republic of Congo and neighboring francophone African counties
Five MOST IMPORTANT/INTERESTING recent publications
- Haruyama R, Obara H, Fujita N. Japan resumes active recommendations of HPV vaccine after 8·5 years of suspension. Lancet 2022; 23(2): 197-198.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/issue/vol23no2/PIIS1470-2045(22)X0002-8 - Koto-Shimada K, Fujita N, Matsuoka S, Jimba M, Touch S, Zwi AB, Medium-term outcomes of a program to upgrade the nursing faculty in Cambodia: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today 116 (2022) 105438.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105438. - Honda A, Krucien N, Ryan M, Diouf ISN, Salla M, Nagai M, and Fujita N. For more than money: willingness of health professionals to stay in remote Senegal. Hum Resour Health 2019 17:28
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0363-7 - Ueda Y, Kawana K, Yanaihara N, Banno K, Chhit M, Uy K, Kruy L, Sann CS, Ishioka-Kanda M, Akaba H, Matsumoto Y, Fujita N, Yano T, Koum K, Okamoto A, Kimura T. Development and evaluation of a cervical cancer screening system in Cambodia: A collaborative project of the Cambodian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2019 Apr 11.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.13968 - Fujita N, Matsuoka S, Koto-Shimada K, Ikarashi M, Hazarika I, Zwi AB. Regulation of nursing professionals in Cambodia and Vietnam: a review of the evolution and key influences. Hum Resour Health. 2019 Jul 3;17(1):48. doi: 10.1186/s12960-019-0388-y.
https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12960-019-0388-y
Message
It is my great honor to work for the master course in School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health in Nagasaki University. While inheriting the traditional culture rooted in Nagasaki and a long history of Institute of Tropical Medicine, this course focus on nurturing practitioners who have a global perspective and are strong in practice. The world is changing rapidly, and what is expected of the next generation is also changing day by day. I hope my working experiences in implementing projects both at country and global level can be helpful for the students to enjoy learning in global health.