Lessons learned from early implementation of the Growing Expertise in E-health Knowledge and Skills (GEEKS) program in Nigeria, 2019 - 2021.
Pan Afr Med J
; 46: 81, 2023.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38314230
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
the Growing Expertise in E-health Knowledge and Skills (GEEKS) program is an applied apprenticeship program that aims to improve informatics capacity at various levels of the national health system and create a sustainable informatics workforce. Nigeria adapted the GEEKS model in 2019 as a mechanism to strengthen data quality and use of routine immunization (RI) and vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance data among Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) staff. Since the start of the GEEKS-EPI program, there has not been a formal assessment conducted to measure the extent to which GEEKS-EPI has been able to build local informatics workforce capacity and strengthen RI and VPD surveillance (VPDS) data quality and use in Nigeria.Methods:
we conducted a qualitative assessment to inform the extent to which GEEKS-EPI has been able to build informatics skillsets to enhance local workforce capacity, foster collaboration across government agencies, and create a sustainable informatics workforce in Nigeria. In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with GEEKS-EPI supervisors, mentors, and mentees from previous GEEKS-EPI cohorts.Results:
while there were challenges reported during early implementation of the GEEKS-EPI program in Nigeria, particularly early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, participants and supervisors reported that the fellowship provided a framework for building a sustainable RI and VPDS informatics workforce through regular mentorship, peer-to-peer exchanges and Subject Matter Expert (SME)-led trainings.Conclusion:
lessons learned from early implementation of GEEKS-EPI in Nigeria will help to inform its implementation in other countries, where strengthened national RI and VPDS informatics capacity is the primary objective.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Telemedicina
/
Pandemias
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
/
Sysrev_observational_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article