Evaluation of capacity to deliver Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care updated midwifery and reproductive health training curricula in Kenya: Before and after study

Introduction Provision of emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) by skilled health personnel reduces maternal and newborn mortality. Pre-service diploma midwifery and clinical medicine (reproductive health) curricula in Kenya were reviewed and updated integrating the competency based EmONC curriculum. A two-part (virtual for theoretical component and face-to-face for the skills-based component) capacity building workshop for national midwifery/clinical medicine trainers of trainers to improve their capacity to implement the updated curricula and cascade it to colleagues nationwide was conducted. Purpose This paper measured change in confidence of pre-service midwifery/clinical medicine educators to deliver the updated competency-based curricula in Kenya. Methods A before-after study among 51 midwifery/clinical medicine educators from 35 training colleges who participated in upskilling workshops as trainers-of-trainers for the updated curricula between September-November 2020. Assessment included self-reported confidence using a 3-point Likert scale (not confident, somewhat confident or extremely confident) in facilitating online teaching (as COVID-19 pandemic containment measure), EmONC skills teaching/demonstration; scenario/simulation teaching, small group discussions, peer review and giving effective feedback. Analysis involved test of proportions with p-values < 0.05 statistically significant. Results Educators’ confidence significantly improved in facilitating virtual teaching (46% to 70%, p = 0.0082). On the competency-based training, the confidence among educators significantly increased in facilitating EmONC skills teaching/demonstration (44% to 96%), facilitating scenario/simulation teaching (46% to 92%), facilitating small group discussions (46% to 94%), giving effective feedback (46% to 92%), and peer review and feedback (47% to 77%), p < 0.05). Conclusion The blended training improved the confidence of pre-service educators to deliver the updated midwifery/clinical medicine curricula

HEALTH POLICIES IN KENYA AND THE NEW CONSTITUTION FOR VISION 2030

Abstract Promoting global health ensures progress in basic humanitarian values in saving and improving lives. In recent years, improving global health has proven its advanced value in promoting securit

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Educators’ perceptions of the early impact of COVID-19 on midwifery training in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

Background This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the perceptions of Kenyan midwifery educators regarding the early impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the continuity of midwifery education. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 51 midwifery/clinical medicine educators from 35 diploma training colleges from all eight regions of Kenya. Educators’ concerns and satisfaction regarding the delivery of training during the early phases of the pandemic were expressed as proportions on a three-point Likert scale. Results Of the educators, 76% were extremely concerned about face-to-face teaching during the pandemic; 96% of educators had started delivering virtual teaching (VT), with only 41% being extremely confident in facilitating VT; and 97% were unsatisfied with the measures in place in their institutions to continue face-to-face teaching. Conclusion To minimise the impact of COVID-19 on midwifery education in Kenya, capacity building for VT and mitigation measures for safe in-person training are urgently needed