Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs in sub-Saharan Africa from 2004 to 2010: need, the process, and prospects

Media in much of sub-Saharan Africa are severely constrained by lack of resources, government pressure, the influence of media ownership, and the quality of secondary education and professional education. In many countries, newspapers are unable to perform the role of watchdog or to educate the public effectively, in part because of difficulties faced by their journalists. Into the breach have stepped myriad foreign, journalism training organizations. Some are non-governmental organizations with a development agenda that seek to promote education about their causes. Others are training arms of professional media groups or organizations that work on journalism education. As with most foreign donor-funded development programs, evidence of impact is expected. But very little academic research exists on evaluation of journalism training programs. Two new studies deployed content analysis and interviews with trained journalists to assess training's effectiveness.

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Postgraduate Medical Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Spanning 26 Years and Lessons Learned

Journal of Graduate Medical Education ◽

10.4300/jgme-d-19-00170 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4s) ◽

pp. 34-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zohray Talib ◽

Lalit Narayan ◽

Thomas Harrod

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Best Practice ◽

Training Programs ◽

Postgraduate Medical Education ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Strategic Support

ABSTRACT Background Investments in training physician specialists through postgraduate medical education (PGME) are critical for Sub-Saharan Africa, given the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Objectives The objectives of this scoping review were to (1) understand the breadth of publications on PGME from Sub-Saharan Africa, and (2) conduct a thematic analysis of lessons learned by specific training programs. Methods We conducted a literature search of 7 databases for PGME literature published between January 1991 and December 2016. Two reviewers independently reviewed titles and abstracts for inclusion. Full-text articles were then reviewed, and bibliometric data were extracted to create a profile of PGME-related publications. Two authors coded the manuscripts to identify articles written about specific PGME programs. These were analyzed for lessons learned. Results We identified 813 publications that reported on postgraduate medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most articles were published between 2005 and 2016. Nations leading in publication were South Africa and Nigeria, followed by Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi. The largest number of articles related to general surgery training, followed by family medicine, emergency medicine, and anesthesiology. Thematic analysis revealed advantages of training programs for health facilities, challenges related to teaching, resourcing, and standardizing of training, and lessons learned related to international partnerships, faculty engagement, and research support for trainees. Conclusions PGME in Sub-Saharan Africa has evolved over the past 26 years. Future growth will require strategic support to scale programs, support new specialties, trainees, and teachers, and leverage best practice models to sustain PGME programs.

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Building a new platform to support public health emergency response in Africa: the AFENET Corps of Disease Detectives, 2018–2019

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002874 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (10) ◽

pp. e002874

Author(s):

Ben Masiira ◽

Simon N Antara ◽

Herbert B Kazoora ◽

Olivia Namusisi ◽

Notion T Gombe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Health Workers ◽

Rapid Response Team ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Public Health Workforce ◽

Health Security ◽

Field Epidemiology ◽

Sub Saharan

Public health emergency (PHE) response in sub-Saharan Africa is constrained by inadequate skilled public health workforce and underfunding. Since 2005, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) has been supporting field epidemiology capacity development and innovative strategies are required to use this workforce. In 2018, AFENET launched a continental rapid response team: the AFENET Corps of Disease Detectives (ACoDD). ACoDD comprises field epidemiology graduates and residents and was established to support PHE response. Since 2018, AFENET has deployed the ACoDD to support response to several PHEs. The main challenges faced during ACoDD deployments were financing of operations, ACoDD safety and security, resistance to interventions and distrust of the responders by some communities. Our experience during these deployments showed that it was feasible to mobilise and deploy ACoDD within 48 hours. However, the sustainability of deployments will depend on establishing strong linkages with the employers of ACoDD members. PHEs are effectively controlled when there is a fast deployment and strong linkages between the stakeholders. There are ongoing efforts to strengthen PHE preparedness and response in sub-Saharan Africa. ACoDD members are a competent workforce that can effectively augment PHE response. ACoDD teams mentored front-line health workers and community health workers who are critical in PHE response. Public health emergence response in sub-Saharan Africa is constrained by inadequacies in a skilled workforce and underfunding. ACoDD can be utilised to overcome the challenges of accessing a skilled public health workforce. To improve health security in sub-Saharan Africa, more financing of PHE response is needed.

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Leveraging gains from African Center for Integrated Laboratory Training to combat HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-020-06005-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ritu Shrivastava ◽

Richard Poxon ◽

Erin Rottinghaus ◽

Leyya Essop ◽

Victoria Sanon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Viral Load ◽

Resistance To Change ◽

Error Rates ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Training Centre ◽

Knowledge And Skills ◽

Hiv Epidemic ◽

Laboratory Services ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Laboratory Training

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, there is dearth of trained laboratorians and strengthened laboratory systems to provide adequate and quality laboratory services for enhanced HIV control. In response to this challenge, in 2007, the African Centre for Integrated Laboratory Training (ACILT) was established in South Africa with a mission to train staffs from countries with high burdens of diseases in skills needed to strengthen sustainable laboratory systems. This study was undertaken to assess the transference of newly gained knowledge and skills to other laboratory staff, and to identify enabling and obstructive factors to their implementation. Methods We used Kirkpatrick model to determine training effectiveness by assessing the transference of newly gained knowledge and skills to participant’s work environment, along with measuring enabling and obstructive factors. In addition to regular course evaluations at ACILT (pre and post training), in 2015 we sent e-questionnaires to 867 participants in 43 countries for course participation between 2008 and 2014. Diagnostics courses included Viral Load, and systems strengthening included strategic planning and Biosafety and Biosecurity. SAS v9.44 and Excel were used to analyze retrospective de-identified data collected at six months pre and post-training. Results Of the 867 participants, 203 (23.4%) responded and reported average improvements in accuracy and timeliness in Viral Load programs and to systems strengthening. For Viral Load testing, frequency of corrective action for unsatisfactory proficiency scores improved from 57 to 91%, testing error rates reduced from 12.9% to 4.9%; 88% responders contributed to the first national strategic plan development and 91% developed strategies to mitigate biosafety risks in their institutions. Key enabling factors were team and management support, and key obstructive factors included insufficient resources and staff’s resistance to change. Conclusions Training at ACILT had a documented positive impact on strengthening the laboratory capacity and laboratory workforce and substantial cost savings. ACILT’s investment produced a multiplier effect whereby national laboratory systems, personnel and leadership reaped training benefits. This laboratory training centre with a global clientele contributed to improve existing laboratory services, systems and networks for the HIV epidemic and is now being leveraged for COVID-19 testing that has infected 41,332,899 people globally.

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Field epidemiology and laboratory training programs have been in Africa for 10 years, what is their effect on laboratory-based surveillance? Reflections from a panel at the african society of laboratory medicine December 2014 Cape Town meeting

Pan African Medical Journal ◽

10.11604/pamj.2015.20.451.6787 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Patrick Nguku ◽

Fausta Mosha ◽

Elizabeth Prentice ◽

Tura Galgalo ◽

Adebola Olayinka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Training Programs ◽

Cape Town ◽

Laboratory Medicine ◽

African Society ◽

Field Epidemiology ◽

Town Meeting ◽

Laboratory Training

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RTS,S/AS01, a vaccine targeting pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences ◽

10.1042/etls20170101 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 533-537

Author(s):

Lorenz von Seidlein ◽

Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn ◽

Podjanee Jittmala ◽

Sasithon Pukrittayakamee

Keyword(s):

Protective Efficacy ◽

Age Groups ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Phase Iii ◽

European Medicines Agency ◽

Older Children ◽

Pivotal Phase ◽

Malaria Epidemiology ◽

Maximum Benefit ◽

Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine to prevent malaria. It is safe and moderately effective. A large pivotal phase III trial in over 15 000 young children in sub-Saharan Africa completed in 2014 showed that the vaccine could protect around one-third of children (aged 5–17 months) and one-fourth of infants (aged 6–12 weeks) from uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The European Medicines Agency approved licensing and programmatic roll-out of the RTSS vaccine in malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO is planning further studies in a large Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, in more than 400 000 young African children. With the changing malaria epidemiology in Africa resulting in older children at risk, alternative modes of employment are under evaluation, for example the use of RTS,S/AS01 in older children as part of seasonal malaria prophylaxis. Another strategy is combining mass drug administrations with mass vaccine campaigns for all age groups in regional malaria elimination campaigns. A phase II trial is ongoing to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the RTSS in combination with antimalarial drugs in Thailand. Such novel approaches aim to extract the maximum benefit from the well-documented, short-lasting protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01.

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