scholarly journals Transforming UNICEF’s approach to health system strengthening: what place can a blended learning course play?

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucio Naccarella ◽  
Barbara McPake ◽  
Prarthna Dayal ◽  
Waithira Gikonyo ◽  
Claudia Vivas Torrealba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Senior Manager ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
Program Content ◽  
The University

Abstract Background The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) published their Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) approach to meet its strategic goals of ending preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and promoting the health and development of all children and reducing inequities in health in 2016. UNICEF commissioned the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health to develop and deliver a pilot blended HSS program, involving 60 hours of online learning and 2 weeks of face-to-face teaching over a 6-month period. To assess the extent to which the HSS program had built the first 83 UNICEF 2017 graduates’ capabilities to apply HSS actions by 2017, UNICEF funded an independent evaluator from the University of Melbourne. Methods A mixed-methods assessment was conducted using: online surveys of graduates at: enrolment, completion, 6 months post-HSS program; nine focus groups with graduates at face-to-face workshops; and interviews with purposive samples of UNICEF graduates and graduate Senior Managers 12 months post-HSS program. Results The HSS program content, structure and mode of delivery was positively received. Graduates reported increased confidence taking HSS actions and multiple changes in work practices (e.g., increased systems thinking and using of health system-based approaches). Graduates’ Senior Manager interviews revealed mixed impressions of graduates applying HSS actions, partly explained by the fit between the HSS program learnings and UNICEF’s workplace environment. Key contextual factors influencing graduates applying HSS actions included: workload; limited opportunities to apply HSS actions; limited HSS examples; and variable support to apply HSS actions. Graduate and Senior Manager suggestions to optimise applying HSS actions included: linking HSS program content with UNICEF priorities; increasing opportunities for graduates to apply HSS actions; increasing access to HSS support. Conclusions The paper concludes by presenting HSS program and assessment suggestions from the 2017 UNICEF Pilot HSS program assessment and actions taken for the 2018 UNICEF staff cohorts by HSS program developers, funders and beneficiaries.

scholarly journals Transforming UNICEF’s approach to Health System Strengthening: What place can a blended learning course play?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucio Naccarella ◽  
Barbara McPake ◽  
Prathna Dayal ◽  
Waithira Gikonyo ◽  
Claudia Vivas Torrealba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Senior Manager ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
Program Content ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
The University

Abstract Background UNICEF published their Health System Strengthening (HSS) approach to meet its strategic goals of ending preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and promoting the health and development of all children and reducing inequities in health in 2016. UNICEF commissioned the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health to develop and deliver a pilot blended HSS program , involving 60 hours of online learning and two weeks of face-to-face teaching over a six- month period. To assess the extent to which the HSS program had built the first 83 UNICEF 2017 graduates’ capabilities to apply HSS actions by 2017, UNICEF funded an independent evaluator from the University of Melbourne. Methods A mixed-methods assessment was conducted using: online surveys of graduates at: enrolment, completion, 6-months post HSS program ; nine focus groups with graduates at face-to-face workshops; and interviews with purposive samples of UNICEF graduates and graduate Senior Managers 12-months post HSS program . Results The HSS program content, structure and mode of delivery was positively received. Graduates reported increased confidence taking HSS actions and multiple changes in work practices (e.g., increased systems thinking and using of health system-based approaches). Graduates’ Senior Manager interviews revealed mixed impressions of graduates applying HSS actions, partly explained by the fit between the HSS program learnings and UNICEF’s workplace environment. Key contextual factors influencing graduates applying HSS actions included: workload; limited opportunities to apply HSS actions; limited HSS examples; and variable support to apply HSS actions. Graduate and Senior Manager suggestions to optimise applying HSS actions included: linking HSS program content with UNICEF priorities; increasing opportunities for graduates to apply HSS actions; increasing access to HSS support. Conclusions The paper concludes by presenting HSS program and assessment suggestions from the 2017 UNICEF Pilot HSS program assessment and actions taken for the 2018 UNICEF staff cohorts by HSS program developers, funders and beneficiaries.

scholarly journals Transforming UNICEF’s approach to Health System Strengthening: What place can a blended learning course play?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucio Naccarella ◽  
Barbara McPake ◽  
Prathna Dayal ◽  
Waithira Gikonyo ◽  
Claudia Vivas Torrealba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Senior Manager ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
The University

Abstract Background The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) published their Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) approach to meet its strategic goals of ending preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and promoting the health and development of all children and reducing inequities in health in 2016. UNICEF commissioned the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health to develop and deliver a pilot blended HSS program, involving 60 hours of online learning and two weeks of face-to-face teaching over a six- month period. To assess the extent to which the HSS program had built the first 83 UNICEF 2017 graduates’ capabilities to apply HSS actions by 2017, UNICEF funded an independent evaluator from the University of Melbourne. Methods A mixed-methods assessment was conducted using: online surveys of graduates at: enrolment, completion, 6-months post HSS program; nine focus groups with graduates at face-to-face workshops; and interviews with purposive samples of UNICEF graduates and graduate Senior Managers 12-months post HSS program. Results The HSS program content, structure and mode of delivery was positively received. Graduates reported increased confidence taking HSS actions and multiple changes in work practices (e.g., increased systems thinking and using of health system-based approaches). Graduates’ Senior Manager interviews revealed mixed impressions of graduates applying HSS actions, partly explained by the fit between the HSS program learnings and UNICEF’s workplace environment. Key contextual factors influencing graduates applying HSS actions included: workload; limited opportunities to apply HSS actions; limited HSS examples; and variable support to apply HSS actions. Graduate and Senior Manager suggestions to optimise applying HSS actions included: linking HSS program content with UNICEF priorities; increasing opportunities for graduates to apply HSS actions; increasing access to HSS support. Conclusions The paper concludes by presenting HSS program and assessment suggestions from the 2017 UNICEF Pilot HSS program assessment and actions taken for the 2018 UNICEF staff cohorts by HSS program developers, funders and beneficiaries.

scholarly journals Can multimedia meet tertiary educational needs better than the conventional lecture? A case study

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Andrewartha ◽  
Simon Wilmot
Keyword(s):  
Learning Style ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Design Feature ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Interesting Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Interactive Simulations

Educational researchers have long derided the university lecture as an effective mode of delivery of educational materials, but currently there are many reports on the advantages offered by computer. In this study a multimedia solution was sought to replace existing face to face lectures because it appeared to offer a close ‘media versus need’ match. Consequently, a decision was made to develop a design template for an interactive computer based program that would be suitable for a range of subject content. In order to personalise the instruction, a large video insert was incorporated as the main screen’s most prominent design feature. From here the learner could navigate to support material including interactive simulations. The program was piloted with a small group of students and, in particular, the student tracking data that the program automatically generates yield some interesting learning style information.

scholarly journals Leveraging Ed-tech in the Co-curricular Space: Reflections on Design and Development Aspects of the Class Representative Induction Programme at the University of Cape Town

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-182
Author(s):  
Christine Immenga
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Virtual Space ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
University Of Cape Town ◽  
The University ◽  
Class Representative

Every year, class representatives are elected at the University of Cape Town to represent students on academic matters in relation to a specific academic course. A vital element of this representative role is to advocate for an enabling learning environment that promotes learning excellence. In preparing class representatives for their leadership roles, the Department of Student Affairs, in partnership with the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Faculty Councils, host and facilitate a class representative induction programme. The induction typically utilised face-to-face synchronous teaching methods. However, since the advent of Covid-19, adaptions to the induction programme had to be made in order to reflect the new normal imposed by the pandemic. Against this backdrop, this article addresses various design-related choices encountered from an online education technology perspective. Key areas of reflection include working with the SRC Undergraduate Academic Co-ordinator and Faculty Councils as a design team in transitioning a, hitherto, synchronous programme catering for approximately 420 class representatives, from a face-to-face mode of delivery to an online mode of delivery. Particular attention is paid to the social constructivist design elements of the programme development process and how these elements were managed with regards to the enablements and constraints encountered in the virtual space by exploring the technological affordances of various ed-tech options available to student affairs practitioners. This article contributes to the practitioner literature by demonstrating how ed-tech can be leveraged to aid in the preservation of existing practices as blended learning approaches continue to shape and augment the future of co-curricular programme delivery in higher education.

scholarly journals Pursuing health systems strengthening through disease-specific programme grants: experiences in Tanzania and Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. e006615
Author(s):  
Charlotte Devon Hemingway ◽  
Mohamed Bella Jalloh ◽  
Richard Silumbe ◽  
Haja Wurie ◽  
Esther Mtumbuka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Partnership ◽  
Disease Specific

IntroductionDisease-specific ‘vertical’ programmes and health system strengthening (HSS) ‘horizontal’ programmes are not mutually exclusive; programmes may be implemented with the dual objectives of achieving both disease-specific and broader HSS outcomes. However, there remains an ongoing need for research into how dual objective programmes are operationalised for optimum results.MethodsA qualitative study encompassing four grantee programmes from two partner countries, Tanzania and Sierra Leone, in the Comic Relief and GlaxoSmithKline ‘Fighting Malaria, Improving Health’ partnership. Purposive sampling maximised variation in terms of geographical location, programme aims and activities, grantee type and operational sector. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was informed by a general inductive approach.Results51 interviews were conducted across the four grantees. Grantee organisations structured and operated their respective projects in a manner generally supportive of HSS objectives. This was revealed through commonalities identified across the four grantee organisations in terms of their respective approach to achieving their HSS objectives, and experienced tensions in pursuit of these objectives. Commonalities included: (1) using short-term funding for long-term initiatives; (2) benefits of being embedded in the local health system; (3) donor flexibility to enable grantee responsiveness; (4) the need for modest expectations; and (5) the importance of micro-innovation.ConclusionHealth systems strengthening may be pursued through disease-specific programme grants; however, the respective practice of both the funder and grantee organisation appears to be a key influence on whether HSS will be realised as well as the overall extent of HSS possible.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Tools Optimizing Online Learning in the English-Speaking Caribbean

2016 ◽  
pp. 138-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulette Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The University ◽  
Open Campus

This chapter examines the effectiveness of asynchronous and synchronous tools used in the online education program at The University of the West Indies Open Campus which is located in the English-speaking Caribbean. The students are adults who are self-directed, goal-oriented and self-motivated learners and are used to the face-to-face mode of delivery. Developers of online programs have applied these learner characteristics to online learning to facilitate students' success. At first, asynchronous tools such as forums were used to deliver online education at The UWI, Open Campus, but in recent time synchronous tools such as Blackboard Collaborate has emerged and has revolutionized online learning in that they provide more scope for e-tutor and student engagement and teacher immediacy. The blend of both synchronous and asynchronous tools has changed e-tutors' pedagogical practices, and enhanced learning.

Community Participation for Health Systems Strengthening” - A Decade of Experience in Sustaining Community Interventions in NHM, Odisha

GIS Business ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-157
Author(s):  
Susanta Kumar Nayak ◽  
Dr. Iswasr Chandra Naik
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Community Interventions ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Approach

This paper presents a framework to explore the decadal experience of community participation for health system strengthening using Primary Health Care Approach in National Health Mission (NHM), Odisha. It traces the concept of community participation, its various facets, dimensions and application in the context of health system strengthening using Primary Health Care Approach. The paper tries to ascertain the scope of the community participation in National Health Mission (NHM), identify and highlight measures adopted for improving community participation leading to improvement in health system and health outcomes. Further it tries to critically understand how the decadal experience community participation efforts have been sustained in NHM, its challenges and way forward.

scholarly journals Approaches to integrating palliative care into African health systems: a qualitative systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1053-1069
Author(s):  
Lara Court ◽  
Jill Olivier
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
African Health ◽  
Qualitative Systematic Review

Abstract Africa is characterized by a high burden of disease and health system deficits, with an overwhelming and increasing demand for palliative care (PC). Yet only one African country is currently considered to have advanced integration of palliative care into medical services and generalized PC is said to be available in only a handful of others. The integration of PC into all levels of a health system has been called for to increase access to PC and to strengthen health systems. Contextually appropriate evidence to guide integration is vital yet limited. This qualitative systematic review analyses interventions to integrate PC into African health systems to provide insight into the ‘how’ of PC integration. Forty articles were identified, describing 51 different interventions. This study found that a variety of integration models are being applied, with limited best practices being evaluated and repeated in other contexts. Interventions typically focused on integrating specialized PC services into individual or multiple health facilities, with only a few examples of PC integrated at a population level. Four identified issues could either promote integration (by being present) or block integration (by their absence). These include the provision of PC at all levels of the health system alongside curative care; the development and presence of sustainable partnerships; health systems and workers that can support integration; and lastly, placing the client, their family and community at the centre of integration. These echo the broader literature on integration of health services generally. There is currently a strong suggestion that the integration of PC contributes to health system strengthening; however, this is not well evidenced in the literature and future interventions would benefit from placing health systems strengthening at the forefront, as well as situating their work within the context of integration of health services more generally.

scholarly journals Effect of Health Systems Strengthening in Influencing Maternal and Neonatal Health Outcomes in Bungoma County, Kenya

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverly Ochieng ◽  
Giorgia Lattanzi ◽  
Milka Choge ◽  
Amarddep Thind
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Kenya is estimated to have a population of 47.6 million people. Its maternal and neo natal health indicators have steadily improved over the years. Despite the progress, many significant challenges remain, including persistent inequities between population subgroups, and a health care system that provides variable quality and inconsistent access to care, especially for women and new-borns. Purpose of this paper was to assess the impact of the maternal and new-born improvement intervention in Bungoma County, with a focus on access and quality of maternal and neonatal care services.Methodology: The study design was quasi-experimental, using household surveys to assess outcomes.Findings: Provision of transport vouchers decreased barriers to accessing care, resulting to an increased number of deliveries in health facilities. The health system strengthening intervention possibly had a role in improving potential and actual access to antenatal care and health facility delivery services for mothers as well as positively impacting quality of care provision in the intervention sub-counties. However, actual access for babies (measured by provision of PNC care within 48 hours of delivery) seemed to worsen in the intervention sub-counties.Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that it is possible to conduct an evaluation of the impact of interventions in messy real-life contexts where data availability is challenging. Key elements of health system strengthening include reducing cost barriers and enhancing the capacity of the health facilities to deliver the high quality care. These can fruitfully be implemented in other regions.

scholarly journals 22.F. Workshop: What makes for resilient health systems? Evidence from the State of Health in the EU country profiles

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
The State ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
New Work ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The European Commission's State of Health in the EU (SoHEU) initiative aims to provide factual, comparative data and insights into health and health systems in EU countries. The resulting Country Health Profiles, published every two years (current editions: November 2019) are the joint work of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the OECD, in cooperation with the European Commission. They are designed to support the efforts of Member States in their evidence-based policy making and to contribute to health care systems' strengthening. In addition to short syntheses of population health status, determinants of health and the organisation of the health system, the Country Profiles provide an assessment of the health system, looking at its effectiveness, accessibility and resilience. The idea of resilient health systems has been gaining traction among policy makers. The framework developed for the Country Profiles template sets out three dimensions and associated policy strategies and indicators as building blocks for assessing resilience. The framework adopts a broader definition of resilience, covering the ability to respond to extreme shocks as well as measures to address more predictable and chronic health system strains, such as population ageing or multimorbidity. However, the current framework predates the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic as well as new work on resilience being done by the SoHEU project partners. This workshop aims to present resilience-enhancing strategies and challenges to a wide audience and to explore how using the evidence from the Country Profiles can contribute to strengthening health systems and improving their performance. A brief introduction on the SoHEU initiative will be followed by the main presentation on the analytical framework on resilience used for the Country Profiles. Along with country examples, we will present the wider results of an audit of the most common health system resilience strategies and challenges emerging from the 30 Country Profiles in 2019. A roundtable discussion will follow, incorporating audience contributions online. The Panel will discuss the results on resilience actions from the 2019 Country Profiles evidence, including: Why is resilience important as a practical objective and how is it related to health system strengthening and performance? How can countries use their resilience-related findings to steer national reform efforts? In addition, panellists will outline how lessons learned from country responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and new work on resilience by the Observatory (resilience policy briefs), OECD (2020 Health at a Glance) and the EC (Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment (HSPA) Report on Resilience) can feed in and improve the resilience framework that will be used in the 2021 Country Profiles. Key messages Knowing what makes health systems resilient can improve their performance and ability to meet the current and future needs of their populations. The State of Health in the EU country profiles generate EU-wide evidence on the common resilience challenges facing countries’ health systems and the strategies being employed to address them.

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