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Abstract
Background: Poor public health indicators in Tanzania have led to the upgrading of nursing and clinical personnel who currently have just core training. Clinical officers (COs) have 3 years training in basic and applied medicine and are responsible for healthcare of large and dispersed rural populations.
Aims: UNESCO-Wales has funded colleagues in Wales (UK) to assist the upgrade of COs. An inquiry into their learning needs and the Tanzanian context has produced a framework for design of a module for COs on sexually transmissible infections and HIV & AIDS by distance learning.
Methods: Face-to-face discussions were held with the Ministry of Health, healthcare workers, educators and administrators in Tanzania; a review of training documents was carried out; and a follow-up questionnaire issued to COs.
Results: The discussions and review highlighted teacher-centred approaches, and management, infrastructure and resources obstacles to curriculum change. Principal learning needs of COs around STIs were: counselling, syndromic management, drugs management, laboratory diagnosis, health education, resources, staffing and service morale.
Conclusions: Placing learning needs in context in dialogue with Tanzanian colleagues was an advance on simple transfer of educational technologies and expertise. The inquiry resulted in a draft study guide and resources pack that were positively reviewed by Tanzanian tutors. Management and resources issues raised problems of sustainability in the module implementation.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Stephen Brigley
Dr STEPHEN BRIGLEY is Senior Lecturer in Medical Education in the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education at Cardiff University.
Ian HoseIn
Dr IAN HOSEIN is Director of Infection Prevention and Control (Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust).
Irnei Myemba
Dr IRNEI MYEMBA completed the MSc in Medical Education at Cardiff University in 2005 and is currently deputy distance education coordinator at the National Centre for Distance Education, Morogoro, Tanzania.