scholarly journals Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of a Novel In-Service Training Strategy of Public Health Staff: Evidence from Colombo Regional Directorate of Health Services, Sri Lanka

2020 ◽  
Vol 03 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Arnold ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Training Strategy ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Staff ◽  
Service Training ◽  
Novel Strategy ◽  
Health Field

Introduction: Continuous in-service training sessions help in updating and upgrading the competency of the public health field staff. Implementation of these sessions with the uniform delivery of the quality assured content has been a challenge in the Sri Lankan well-established preventive healthcare system. Aim: To describe the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a novel in-service training strategy of public health staff including Pubic Health Inspectors (PHI) and Public Health Midwives (PHM) conducted in the Colombo Regional Directorate of Health, Sri Lanka from January to June 2018. Methods: A consultative meeting and a workshop was conducted with the participation of all stakeholders in reviewing the existing in-service training methodology and in recommending the strategies of overcoming the limitations of it. A novel strategy was developed for the implementation of in-service sessions with multi-level implementation and evaluation components. The in-service training sessions were conducted to improve the knowledge and quality of service provision by Public Health Inspectors, Public Health Midwives and other public health staff. Four evaluation indicators were defined. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used in the evaluation. Results: By the consultative meetings and workshops, four main weaknesses of the existing in-service training system were revealed, and three characteristics of an ideal system were defined. Two process indicators have shown a coverage of the intervention of 100% while the median satisfaction scores were observed to be 85% or above. Two output/outcome indicators have shown that the interventions have yielded significantly higher post-intervention scores compared to the pre-intervention scores as perceived by the staff members (p<0.05), while the reception of feedback reports was 100%. Conclusions and Recommendations: The novel strategy is seemingly effective in relation to the four evaluation indicators used. Possibility of implementing similar strategies in other areas must be explored with the view of disseminating quality assured content with uniformity among the public health field staff categories in the monthly in-service sessions.

scholarly journals Breast Feeding in Pandemic Situation. How Does Sri Lanka Face the Challenge?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 214-214
Author(s):  
Neerodha Dharmasoma
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Health System ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Public Health Staff ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Sri Lanka has been awarded the first-ever ‘Green’ breastfeeding (BF) nation status by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) in January 2020 (1) with the support of public health system. But, deviating attention of health services towards emergency pandemic situation has resulted in strained health systems and interruptions in humanitarian response leading to eroding access to essential and often life-saving nutrition services. Therefore, optimal breast feeding practices are at risk due to infected mothers’ isolation practices, exhausted public health system and misbeliefs among the community (2). This finds out how Sri Lanka plans to maintain high standards of breast feeding in pandemic situation. Methods We searched for the publications on breast feeding, Sri Lanka in pandemic situation from January 2020 to date. Results As a low and middle income country with an unbeatable public health system, Sri Lanka has already issued an interim guideline for public health staff in continuation maternal and child care services (3). It ensures domiciliary visits by public health midwives (PHMs), although the clinic based teaching sessions on breast feeding have been cancelled. Community awareness has been created that no evidence of transmission of SARS COV-2 via breast milk is available and how the benefits of breast feeding outweigh the risk of infection (4). It is recommended that breast feeding shouldn't be interrupted at all and hand hygienic practices before touching the baby are ideal. Infected mothers can wear a protective mask and rooming in, and kangaroo mother care should be practiced. Sri Lanka already had guidelines on ensuring adequate and appropriate infant feeding guidelines in emergency situations (5). Conclusions Despite the challenges faced by community and public health staff, Sri Lanka make efforts to maintain the achieved breast feeding standards. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of the pandemic on breast feeding practices in near future. Funding Sources None

scholarly journals Will prevention be better than cure? The challenge of retaining health staff in the public health sector in Sri Lanka

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
P. K. Buddhika Mahesh ◽  
M. Wasantha Gunathunga ◽  
S. Mahendra Arnold ◽  
L. Sinha D. De Silva ◽  
Monika P. Wijeratne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
Better Than

Capacity building in the public health field in the Tunisian medical faculties

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Coman ◽  
O Oltean ◽  
M Palianopoulou ◽  
D Plancikova ◽  
C Zedini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
National Level ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Local Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Training ◽  
Medical Faculties ◽  
Health Field

Abstract Over the past years, Tunisia has experienced important reforms in the field of public health. The Tunisian medical faculties (Universities of Sfax, Tunis el Manar, Sousse and Monastir) play a key role in this endeavor by training public health professionals who can contribute to the modernization of the health system. Funded by the EC through Erasmus+ programme, the CONFIDE project (coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, having as EU partners the Universities of Southern Denmark and Trnava, and the above mentioned Tunisian universities) has established the Research into Policy training programme by strengthening their capacity to provide public health training. The Research into Policy training programme has been delivered by the Centres for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHPs) established within the Tunisian partner universities for the needs of CONFIDE. The training programme was implemented in four steps: (1) train the trainer sessions - the European experts trained 18 Tunisian trainers; (2) shadowing sessions - the trainers participated in shadowing sessions in the European partner institutions; (3) training delivery - the CONFIDE trainers, assisted by the European experts, delivered the training to an interdisciplinary group of 25 students and professionals; (4) internships - the students participated in internships in local health institutions. Three modules have been built within the Research into Policy training programme: Public health research, Health promotion policies and Evidence based public health policy. They contributed to increasing the public health knowledge and skills of the professionals trained. The training programme was well received by the Tunisian universities and the material developed so far during the project was adapted to the Tunisian context in the third step of implementation. On the long term, the project is expected to have an impact at the national level and produce updates at curricula level in the Tunisian medical faculties. Key messages Research into Policy training programme developed by the EC partners and culturally adapted by the Tunisian partners to the Tunisian public health context. Research into Policy training is a well-received tool for the high quality learning process in the public health field in Tunisian medical faculties.

scholarly journals A cluster of cholera among patients in a Vietnamese district hospital in 2010

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 910-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuan Huu Vo ◽  
Ninh Hoang Le ◽  
J. Pekka Nuorti ◽  
Lan Trong Phan ◽  
Nguyen Nhu Tran Minh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Index Case ◽  
District Hospital ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Positive Culture ◽  
Watery Diarrhoea ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Vibrio Cholera ◽  
Public Health Staff ◽  
Mode Of Transmission

On July 20, 2010, three cases of cholera were reported from a district hospital in Ca Mau province, Vietnam. We investigated the likely source and mode of transmission of the outbreak. All hospitals in the province were requested to notify cases of acute watery diarrhoea. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. Between July 12 and 22, seven cases with positive culture for Vibrio cholera were identified. Six cases were epidemiologically linked to the index case. Basic infection control practices were not in place at the hospital. Clinicians and public health staff should consider the possibility of nosocomial cholera transmission even in non-endemic areas.

Sri Lanka: Pandemic-Catalyzed Democratic Backsliding

2021 ◽  
pp. 349-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavani Fonseka ◽  
Luwie Ganeshathasan ◽  
Asanga Welikala
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Comparative Politics ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
The Public ◽  
Comparative Constitutional Law ◽  
Front Line Workers ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Government Statistics

This chapter investigates Sri Lanka’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 has posed for Sri Lanka not only a public health challenge and an economic challenge but also, perhaps most seriously, a crisis of constitutional democracy. Although questions have been raised about the accuracy of government statistics, the scale of testing and contact tracing, and failures in providing protective equipment to front-line workers including military personnel, there is broad public approval of the government’s crisis response. However, much more alarming are the clear signs in the government’s response that the public health emergency has provided the impetus for an aggressive executive takeover of the state, steepening the curve of de-democratization. The chapter then describes the aspects of the governmental crisis response that are the cause of worry, and offers an analysis based on a framework drawn from comparative politics and comparative constitutional law as to the agentic, institutional, and causal dimensions of the democratic backslide underway in Sri Lanka. While the pandemic has undoubtedly boosted the process of executive aggrandizement that had already commenced, this catalysis may in fact also shorten the authoritarian cycle, because the accelerated de-democratization is likely to result in executive actions that cross the threshold of public tolerance sooner in what as yet remains a procedural democracy.

scholarly journals Healthy public policy competences for public health: interactive and practice-oriented curriculum

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Guyon ◽  
R Lessard ◽  
M Masse-Jolicoeur ◽  
S Tessier
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Organizational Practices ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Healthy Public Policy ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Staff

Abstract Background Developing and implementing healthy public policy (HPP) is one of the practical competences expected of public health professionals in Europe and beyond (ASPHER 2018, Public Health Agency of Canada 2015, US Public Health Foundation 2014). Yet, organizational practices in building public health capacity to promote HPP are seldom documented. In order to improve its HPP interventions, the Montreal Public Health Unit has been leading and evaluating a HPP multidisciplinary community of practice since 2014. In response to participants’ requests, we recently formalized a HPP curriculum. Objectives Over a period of 12 months in 2018-2019, our objectives were to: (1) develop and pre-test a competency-based professional development curriculum in HPP for public health staff and interns (2) provide a repository of relevant references (3) identify dynamic pedagogical strategies applicable to a community of practice. Results As community of practice members and facilitators, we developed a HPP curriculum with the support of pedagogical and HPP experts. It was pre-tested and iteratively adjusted with members of the community of practice. We drew content from various disciplines including political sciences, public health, communication studies and public relations. We identified relevant: (1) competences; (2) core concepts; (3) practical skills; (4) key references; (5) practical case studies, (6) interactive pedagogical strategies such as an open-source online learning system. Conclusions We developed an innovative healthy public policy (HPP) curriculum in order to support an existing community of practice among public health staff. Dynamic pedagogical strategies and a more formal HPP curriculum can support competence development among public health staff, and this can be achieved while relying mostly on in-house expertise. This constitutes a stimulating capacity-building initiative for the enhancement of public health core competences. Key messages Developing healthy public policy is a core practical competence expected of public health professionals. Yet, organizational practices in building healthy public policy capacity are seldom documented. Developing dynamic pedagogical strategies and a more formal healthy public policy curriculum can support competence development among public health staff, while relying mostly on in-house expertise.

scholarly journals Workshop: Capacity building in public health in Northern Africa. A common effort to develop training programmes

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Northern Africa ◽  
Integrate Approach ◽  
The Public ◽  
Lessons Learnt ◽  
Building Process ◽  
Health Field

Abstract Background In the years that have followed the overthrow of the former autocratic regime and the democratization of the country, the CONFIDE partner country, Tunisia, has experienced positive political and economic changes. These changes have driven important reforms in the field of public health, yet this country is facing important challenges in building a modern health system and finding an integrate approach to the main national public health problems. In terms of health research system, in Tunisia there is little coordination between stakeholders and the institutions in charge of public health. Moreover, there is no specific mechanism for informing the Ministry of Health about the progress of research in Tunisia and overall there is no structure responsible for the dissemination of research results to the public. To this end, the European and Tunisian members of this consortium have designed together the present capacity building project which aims to inform public health policies in Tunisia based on evidence and contribute to the development of public health research. The CONFIDE project is contributing to the development of the public health field in Tunisia and provides knowhow and tools to the Tunisian public health professions to better collaborate with the local stakeholders. Aim of the workshop The aim of this workshop is to share the experience of the capacity building process in the public health field in Northern Africa. The workshop will discuss and analyse the structure of opportunities for change and reform and the local needs of the public health domain in Tunisia and will identify the main challenges. We will present the processes used and challenges faced, but also the ways to overcome these challenges. This workshop will contribute to the European Public Health field by increasing the visibility at European level of the efforts directed to capacity building interventions and at transferring knowhow outside Europe, specifically Northern Africa. Program The introduction to the workshop will be made by Prof. Razvan Chereches MD, PhD, Professor of Public Health and coordinator of the CONFIDE project. He will describe the methodology used for the capacity building in public health trainings programme in Tunisia. The development of the Centre for Evidence Based Public Health in Tunisia and their impact on the Tunisian local and regional levels will be presented by Prof. Fatma Cheikhrouhou. The link between the knowledge transferred to the young professionals and the policy decision makers will be described by the Tunisian coordinator of the dissemination activities, Prof. Kalthoum Kallel. MScPH Maria Palianopoulou will follow with presenting the evaluation results of the capacity building process and lessons learnt. Last but not least, the sustainability of the trainings and the local effort to integrate the knowledge into the Medical University curricula will be presented by Assistant Prof. Mohamed ben Rejeb. Key messages Discussing lessons learnt can contribute to better tools for the development of public health. Partners` perspective and culturally adapted tools are important for high quality learning process.

scholarly journals Evaluating the effectiveness of an emergency preparedness training programme for public health staff in China

Public Health ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chongjian Wang ◽  
Sheng Wei ◽  
Hao Xiang ◽  
Yihua Xu ◽  
Shenghong Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Public Health Staff

Peer-reviewed Public Health Journals

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
Nora Mohammed Al-Aboud ◽  
Khalid Al Aboud ◽  
Ahmad Al Qurashi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Smart Phones ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Domain ◽  
Health Field

Peer-reviewed Public Health journals are essential media for the workers in the public health field. There are already many periodicals published in the public health domain and still many new ones are being added. Journalism in public health is facing many changes and challenges. Technologies and smart phones applications in particular affected the pattern of publication and readership of these journals. This report shed some light on the current peer-reviewed periodicals in the public health.

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