The COVID-19 pandemic: broad partnerships for the rapid scale up of innovative virtual approaches for capacity building and credible information dissemination in Africa

• Published in: The Pan African medical journal Vol. 37; no. 255; p. 255
• Main Authors: Talisuna, Ambrose Otau, Bonkoungou, Boukare, Mosha, Fausta Shakiwa, Struminger, Bruce Baird, Lehmer, Jutta, Arora, Sanjeev, Conteh, Ishata Nannie, Appiah, John Adabie, Nel, Jeremy, Mehtar, Shaheen, Diaz, Janet Victoria, Lado, Marta, Ramers, Christian Boyd, Ousman, Kevin Babila, Gaturuku, Peter, Tiendrebeogo, Alexandre, Mihigo, Richard, Yoti, Zabulon, Kasolo, Francis Chisaka, Cabore, Joseph Waogodo, Moeti, Matshidiso Rebecca
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uganda African Field Epidemiology Network 2020; The African Field Epidemiology Network; The Pan African Medical Journal
• Subjects: africa; Africa - epidemiology; Audiences; Best practice; Capacity Building; Case management; Collaboration; Colleges & universities; Communities of practice; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Disease transmission; Distance learning; epidemic; Epidemiology; Geographic information systems; Health Personnel - organization & administration; Hospitalization; Humans; Infections; Information dissemination; Information Dissemination - methods; international health regulations; Laboratories; Medical personnel; Nurses; outbreak; pandemic; Pandemics; Prevention; Public Health; public health emergency; Quarantine; Seminar; Sepsis; Training; virtual training; Workers; world health organization; Africa; Southern Africa; West Africa; China; COVID-19; international health regulations; virtual training; World Health Organization; epidemic; Africa; outbreak; public health emergency; pandemic
• ISSN: 1937-8688; 1937-8688
• DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2020.37.255.23787

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread in Africa, with a total of 474,592 confirmed cases by 11
July 2020. Consequently, all policy makers and health workers urgently need to be trained and to access the most credible information to contain and mitigate its impact. While the need for rapid training and information dissemination has increased, most of Africa is implementing public health social and physical distancing measures. Responding to this context requires broad partnerships and innovative virtual approaches to disseminate new insights, share best practices, and create networked communities of practice for all teach, and all learn. The World Health Organization (WHO)-Africa region, in collaboration with the Extension for Community Health Outcome (ECHO) Institute at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC), the West Africa college of nurses and the East Central and Southern Africa college of physicians, private professional associations, academia and other partners has embarked on a virtual training programme to support the containment of COVID-19. Between 1
April 2020 and 10
July 2020, about 7,500 diverse health professionals from 172 locations in 58 countries were trained in 15 sessions. Participants were from diverse institutions including: central ministries of health, WHO country offices, provincial and district hospitals and private medical practitioners. A range of critical COVID-19 preparedness and response interventions have been reviewed and discussed. There is a high demand for credible information from credible sources about COVID-19. To mitigate the "epidemic of misinformation" partnerships for virtual trainings and information dissemination leveraging existing learning platforms and networks across Africa will augment preparedness and response to COVID-19.