ABSTRACT
A link with a sister institution in a developed country has the potential to contribute in three areas—teaching and education, research, and the clinical care of patients. Any health professional contemplating a link with a colleague in a less-developed country will need to commit himself to the collaboration for a number of years. The opportunities for collaboration in high-quality research and involvement in teaching of overseas undergraduates and postgraduates will undoubtedly enhance performance in the clinician’s own specialty at home. The hospital is actively developing dialysis facilities, especially for patients with acute renal failure. Long-term links between institutions in countries that differ so significantly in their geographical, climatic, political, cultural, and religious characteristics provide enormous opportunities for mutual benefit and understanding, and for the development of enduring professional and personal friendships. Many medical societies and institutions in developed countries make special provision for fostering links with developing countries.
