| |
|
 |
On-Job training key to
retain medical personnel: AMREF |
 |
| |
ADDIS
ABEBA(August 20,2008)
- On-job training could be a key tool in retaining health experts
in their respective hospitals, especially to those located in rural
and referral hospitals of the country, said officials from the African
Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), citing the foundation's Clinical
Outreach Project as a model.
During a consultative meeting on AMREF's experience in Ethiopia on
the project, Country Director Dr Joao Soares said the clinical outreach
project is playing a key part to strengthen the secondary and tertiary
health care services in Ethiopia through capacity building program
in rural and referral hospitals.
"Instead of patients coming to hospitals, volunteer specialists
go to them to give the necessary services to them," said the
director. "The same goes to health personnel who wants to improve
through Clinical Outreach Project's capacity building program,"
he added.
Dr Asrat Mengiste, AMREF Reconstructive Surgery Project Manager, on
his part said brain drain is becoming difficult to the rural areas
of the African countries.
"The flow of experts included not only to the outside part of
the countries, but also includes from rural part to the cities, within
the countries," Dr Asrat said indicating their demand for improvement
in professional skill as one of the major factors.
"The on-job training would have influenced to alleviate this
problem by reaching the demand of the professional," said the
Project Manager.
Conducted by the research foundation, the project, which aims to establish
effective and sustainable specialized health care services, tries
to reach the rural through training and teaching programs, according
to the officials.
"AMREF's role in the Clinical Specialist Outreach Project is
mostly reserved as facilitator," said Country Director Joao Soares,
talking about the project which the Foundation allocated around $5
million for its fulfillment.
Among 20 referral hospitals, the officials said, 10 targeted rural
and referral hospitals are selected for the project based on different
national assessments carried out.
These rural and referral hospitals are Gonder hospital, Dessie referral
hospital, Bahir Dar referral Hospital, Adama referral Hospital, Nekemt
referral Hospital, Metu Karl Hospital, Mekelle University Hospital,
Hossana Hospital, Dichora referral Hospital and Yirgalem referral
Hospital.
Presenting Ethiopia's experience on Clinical Specialist Outreach experience,
Dr Alemayhu Seifu, Deputy Country Director of AMREF Ethiopia said,
the project benefited over 748 health personnel's for the past two
years.
"Over 748 health professionals trained through the clinical outreach
program during the ongoing training," the deputy director said
adding 1436 patients received conciliatory and medical care advice
from specialists and benefit from surgical intervention as well.
|
| |
|
