POST 00523E : IMMUNIZATION TRAINING PARTNERSHIP UPDATE

POST 00523E : IMMUNIZATION TRAINING PARTNERSHIP UPDATE 24 November 2002 __________________________________________________________ An Immunization Training Partnership Update was recently circulated among Partnership members by Molly Mort (mailto:[log in to unmask]) from PATH. As many Technet members share a particular interest in training issues, we reproduce this update here for your information. This version was edited so to contain only information of general interest. __________________________________________________________ We want to follow-up with you on the 14 Oct meeting of the Immunization Training Action Group (ITAG) in Geneva. The ITAG was recently formed, at the request of the Implementation Task Force (ITF), as a small action-oriented group that will coordinate and advance high priority training activities being undertaken by the larger training partnership community. We also want to let you know about a side-session at the GAVI Partners meeting in Dakar entitled "Training: new opportunities and lessons learned." The side session was scheduled for Wednesday 20 November 2002 at 14:15-15:45. The main outcomes of the October meeting are summarized below: Supportive Supervision: The ITAG identified supportive supervision as a critical gap in, and high priority for immunization training. While everyone agreed that training is needed to introduce new concepts or skills to health care workers, training by itself does not necessarily result in the desired behavior change. Even the best training with the most skilled trainers may not result in the desired outcome without some follow-up learning. One way to provide follow-up learning is through routine supervision. This is an opportunity for supervisors to provide health care workers with on-site support, training, monitoring and feedback. Creativity in taking advantage of these types of on-going learning opportunities is a critical element to any training plan. Supportive supervision is also one of the five key elements of the "ACCESS" strategy to build national capacity to increase access to immunization services. This strategy was developed by an ITF team to accelerate progress toward the GAVI goal to reach 80% DTP3 coverage in all districts of 80% of the developing countries. To advance our own thinking about ways to improve supportive supervision techniques in immunization, the ITAG identified the following action items to be undertaken over the next six-months: 1. Disseminate case studies (6) on examples of supportive supervision, highlighting methodologies used and lessons learned. 2. Examples of countries that are currently implementing supportive supervision techniques, such as Andhra Pradesh (India), Mali, Togo, Bolivia and Honduras 3. Generic guidelines will be made available for: a) supportive supervision and follow-up; b) monitoring and evaluating training activities; and, c) conducting a training needs assessments. The action items above will be discussed during the upcoming Training Partnership and ITF meetings. Please let us know if you have any additional examples of and materials on supportive supervision that can further this process! 2003 Training and Education Workplan was updated and revised by all the partners at the meeting. Many of the items in this workplan are included in the overall ITF workplan being reviewed by the GAVI Board in November. Below are highlights of the ITAG ITF Workplan that defines activities at the global and regional levels, the partners involved, timelines, etc. This will updated as necessary and posted on the WHO training website. Highlights from the 2003 workplan include: Global Resources in Development: - Immunization in Practice will be available in Feb. 2003 - Global Mid-Level Management (MLM) modules will be available in December 2003 - Advanced Immunization Management (AIM) modules addressing training needs of senior level managers; modules to be posted on the WHO training website Regional Highlights: - 10 MLM modules developed and tested by the African region were recently revised and will be available in Feb. 2003 - Training needs assessments (TNA) are being undertaken throughout Africa, the Mekong countries and other regions of the world. - The first cohort of senior and mid-level managers being trained under EPIVAC in five West African countries are currently receiving training in Benin . - The Network on Education and Support in Immunization (NESI)and partners are planning a workshop to strengthen training and education through a network of partners including universities and MOHs, which will, among other activities, support the integration of immunization into pre-service training. - Mid-level management training is underway in the republics of the Former Soviet Union - The Merck Company Foundation issued an RFA on 8 Nov 2002 "Merck Vaccine Network - Africa" to support training partnerships. Communications: The ITAG will send out an update via e-mail every three-months. The WHO training website http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/epitraining/ will be used to exchange information, materials and act as a technical forum. Please send your materials to be posted on the website! Please note that while Jhilmil Bahl is on maternity leave from WHO, if you have any questions please direct them to me at mailto:[log in to unmask] (office: 206 285-3500) Terms of Reference (TOR): Slight revisions were made to the ITAG TOR. The TOR can be found on the WHO training website. ITAG Meeting Participants (14 Oct 2003) Jhilmil Bahl, WHO/HQ Julian Bilious, WHO/HQ Molly Mort, CVP/PATH James Cheyne, CVP/PATH Francois Gasse, UNICEF/HQ Anais Colombini, AMP Chistian Goilav, University of Antwerp Andre Meheus, University of Antwerp Andrei Lobanov, WHO/EURO Evariste Mutabaruka, WHO/AFRO Modibo Dicko, WHO/AFRO Robin Biellic, WHO/AFRO Ezzedine Mohsni, WHO/EMRO Oz Monsoor, WHO/WPRO Koshi Benerjee, WHO/SEARO Vance Dietz, PAHO ________________________________________________________________ Visit the TECHNET21 Website at http://www.technet21.org You will find instructions to subscribe, a direct access to archives, links to reference documents and other features. ______________________________________________________________________________ To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message to : mailto:[log in to unmask] Leave the subject area BLANK In the message body, write unsubscribe TECHNET21E ______________________________________________________________________________ The World Health Organization and UNICEF support TechNet21. The TechNet21 e-Forum is a communication/information tool for generation of ideas on how to improve immunization services. It is moderated by Claude Letarte and is hosted in cooperation with the Centre de coopération internationale en santé et développement, Québec, Canada (http://www.ccisd.org) ______________________________________________________________________________