In Washington, D.C.:
Ludi Joseph
Phone: +1 (202) 473 7700
E-mail: LJoseph@ifc.org


Washington, D.C./Brussels, Belgium, May 12, 2008—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will train entrepreneurs to invest in health care projects in developing countries at an international hospital seminar.  Sponsored by the Joint Commission International and the European Association for Private Hospitals, the seminar will be held on May 16, 2008 in Brussels, Belgium at the Union Européenne de l'Hospitalisation Privée. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/education.

IFC and the Joint Commission International will conduct sessions aimed at providing critical information on project funding, how to apply for IFC support, the importance of accreditation, how to design facilities to support patient safety and quality, and other topics. IFC will lead discussions on:

- International trends in the private health sector
- IFC’s participation in the private health sector
- Types of support and financing available
- Profiles of successful projects, including examples of IFC projects
- Importance of clinical quality and safety for IFC investments
- Applying for IFC support, including aspects of project planning and feasibility analysis

JCI, whose standards are widely recognized as a foundation for safe, high-quality patient care worldwide, will discuss:

- International accreditation of hospitals
- Health design and safe care aspects of facility construction
- JCI patient safety and quality improvement programs
- Financial benefits of providing high-quality health care to local and international patients at private health care facilities

“IFC supports the private health sector in emerging markets as a way to increase access to health services for people of all income levels as well as improve standards of quality and efficiency,” said Emmett Moriarty, IFC Senior Health Specialist. “We hope this international hospital seminar will be a good resource for business people who want to set up health facilities in developing countries.”

About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing private capital in local and international financial markets, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. IFC's vision is that people should have the opportunity to escape poverty and improve their lives. In FY07, IFC committed $8.2 billion and mobilized an additional $3.9 billion through syndications and structured finance for 299 investments in 69 developing countries. IFC also provided advisory services in 97 countries. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About Joint Commission International
JCI is a division of Joint Commission Resources, a global leader in technical assistance, education, and quality evaluation services for health care organizations. The World Health Organization partnered with the Joint Commission and Joint Commission International to establish the world’s first WHO Collaborating Centre dedicated solely to patient safety solutions.

About the European Union of Private Hospitals
The European Union of Private Hospitals is the only accredited association representing private hospitals in Europe. Its members are the national associations that represent private hospitals in the countries where the private sector is active and significant.