The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), based in Kenya, is using eLearning to upgrade the skills of thousands of nurses, providing better health care in Africa.

1. Training
Health Workers,
Saving Lives
AMREF Coffeehouse Speakers Series on
global development
December 2012

2. LIVES LOST
•3,000 + children die of malaria every day
•177,000 women died in pregnancy or childbirth
in 2010
Illnesses and deaths are largely preventable with
access to health care Source: World Health Organization

3. PROBLEM
•Africa bears 25% of the world’s ‘burden’ of disease
•Has only 3% of the world’s health workers
•Has only 1% of global health expenditure
•Significant shortage of trained health care workers – facilities
50% understaffed
•Crisis in remote and rural areas
Outcome: poor health, illness, and death

4. AMREF’S GOAL
That every African can enjoy the right
to good health

5. HOW?
“Creating vibrant networks of
informed and empowered
communities and health care
providers working together in
strong health care systems.”

6. CHALLENGE
•Thousands of nurses, midwives, doctors and
others ready to be trained.
•Traditional classroom-based training would
take hundreds of years (literally!), and take
health care workers out of the community

7. SOLUTION
eLearning:
the computer and network-enabled
transfer of skills and knowledge, including
web-based learning, computer-based
learning, virtual classroom opportunities
and digital collaboration. Content is
delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet,
audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-
ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led
and includes media in the form of text,
image, animation, streaming video and
audio

8. NURSES’ TRAINING: Kenya
BACKGROUND
•2005 to 2011
•AMREF, Ministry of Health, nursing regulatory
body, Accenture
•Goal: 22,000 ‘enrolled’ nurses who needed skills
upgraded to ‘registered nurse’
•Traditional classroom training: limit of 100
nurses/year

9. NURSES’ TRAINING: Kenya
PURPOSE:
•Upgrade nurses’ skills in shorter timeframe while
allowing them to continue working
•Build on AMREF’s training expertise by moving to
IT-based solutions
•Use the lessons learned to replicate eLearning in
other African countries

10. COMPUTER CENTRES

11. NURSES’ TRAINING: Kenya
SUCCESSES:
By 2011:
•More than 8,000 nurses enrolled
•More than 4,500 graduated
•Nurses able to upgrade skills while continuing to
care for patients
•Financial support for nurses through special loan
program

12. CHALLENGES
•Difficulty setting up computer
centres
•Participants had little knowledge
of computers
•Lack of consistent Internet
access, particularly remote areas
•Unreliable electricity

13. A NURSE’S EXPERIENCE
Anne’s Experience:
•Able to work while training
• Can now treat patients independent of doctor
(even notices mistakes by doctors!)
Anne Kamene •Financial challenges
Kangundo Hospital,
Eastern Province

14. ROLL OUT
• Uganda: eLearning to
upgrade midwives
•Tanzania: eLearning to
upgrade nurses
•Additional programs in:
Zanzibar, Senegal, Lesotho,
Zambia

15. WHAT’S NEXT?
How mobile phones can be used
in health worker training
•Increase access to eLearning for
midwives and nurses
•Provide access to reference
materials (e.g. guidelines)
•Offer peer learning for nurses and
midwives in remote areas

16. STAY IN TOUCH
www.amrefcanada.org
info@amrefcanada.org
(416) 961-6981
Twitter: @AMREFCanada
Facebook: amrefcanada