An interventional model to develop health professionals in West Africa.

Anselme Simeon Sanou,Florence Adeola Awoyale,Abdoulaye Diallo

doi:10.11604/pamj.2014.18.152.3283

Anselme Simeon Sanou, Florence Adeola Awoyale + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2014.18.152.3283

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Abstract

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, and management skills. West African Health Organization (WAHO) recognizes the need within the West Africa sub-region for bilingual professionals who are skilled in public health, management, leadership, and information technology to build human capacity in public health and developed the Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP). Our study explores the evolution of the programme. YPIP program has successfully carried out its original aims and objectives to equip young professionals with basic principles of public health, management, and leadership, acquire competence in a second official language (French, English, and Portuguese), information and communication technology. Contributing factors towards this successful evaluation included positive ratings and commentary from previous interns about the relevance, usefulness, and quality of the programme, encouraging feedback from WAHO management, trainers, administrators, and intern employers on the impact of the YPIP program on young professionals, supporting evidence that demonstrates increased knowledge in professional skills and language competency.

Highlights

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, management skills, barriers such as language
Human resources play a critical role in delivering health services to the population
Interns, under the guidance of mentors, would be expected to acquire practical experience and special technical skills relevant to the interns’ areas of interest in health sector, to participate in problem solving in these institutions

Summary

Introduction

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, management skills, barriers such as language. The second stage (16 weeks) is the first placement in a host institution During this period, interns, under the guidance of mentors, would be expected to acquire practical experience and special technical skills relevant to the interns’ areas of interest in health sector, to participate in problem solving in these institutions. The fourth stage (4 weeks) is a mid-term review at WAHO During this stage, interns are expected to assess personal progress toward the acquisition of the desired competencies of the first placement and the study tour of Ministries; to use their experiences as case studies in improving problem solving skills; to acquire additional knowledge and skills in the core general areas of the program; to prepare for the second placement at Host Institutions.

Discussion

Conclusion