Strengthening Global Primary Care Matters: Transforming African Health Sectors through an Innovative Global Health Partnership
Author(s): Princess Ruhama Acheampong, Mahan Kulasegaram, Marie-Therese Ndiaye, Kofi Akohene Mensah, Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah, Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Joseph Owusu, Jamie Rodas, Katherine Rouleau, Jennifer Wilson, Olivia Wilson
Introduction: The Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative (AHEC) initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) embarked on a transformative collaboration with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Over a five-year period, the collaborative effort aims to co-create and co-deliver continuing education programs geared towards augmenting the proficiency of primary care practitioners in Ghana. Underpinning the initiative were core principles within the AHEC framework, emphasizing respect, inclusivity, equity, reciprocity, ethics, dynamism, and stewardship.
Design: Between September and December 2023, seven teams of DFCM faculty engaged in collaborative efforts to develop and administer five in-person "short courses" in Ghana. The courses covered topics such as Palliative Care, Quality Improvement for Health Professionals, Prehospital Emergency Care, Community Emergency Care, and Emergency Preparedness and Response to Epidemic-Prone Diseases. Evaluation methodologies encompassed end-of-course assessments, teacher interviews, and learner focus groups within multi-module courses.
Results: Evaluation data showed overwhelmingly positive feedback, with the majority of learners highly valuing the learning experience, course content, and faculty. Notably, participants demonstrated a strong likelihood to recommend the short courses to their peers, expressed interest in further training, and advocated for broader dissemination of course content. Faculty identified coordination challenges and alignment between teacher and learner expectations as issues for the co-creation and co-delivery process.
Conclusions: Looking ahead, the evaluation data, structured observations, and reflections will inform the refinement of course teaching and learner engagement strategies for the upcoming 2024 iteration, showcasing the commitment of DFCM and KNUST to continuous improvement and impactful education delivery.