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. 2020 Nov 19:37:255.
doi: 10.11604/pamj.2020.37.255.23787. eCollection 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic: broad partnerships for the rapid scale up of innovative virtual approaches for capacity building and credible information dissemination in Africa

Ambrose Otau Talisuna  1 , Boukare Bonkoungou  1 , Fausta Shakiwa Mosha  2 , Bruce Baird Struminger  3 , Jutta Lehmer  3 , Sanjeev Arora  3 , Ishata Nannie Conteh  1 , John Adabie Appiah  4 , Jeremy Nel  5 , Shaheen Mehtar  6   7 , Janet Victoria Diaz  8 , Marta Lado  9 , Christian Boyd Ramers  10   11 , Kevin Babila Ousman  1 , Peter Gaturuku  1 , Alexandre Tiendrebeogo  1 , Richard Mihigo  1 , Zabulon Yoti  1 , Francis Chisaka Kasolo  1 , Joseph Waogodo Cabore  1 , Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti  1
Affiliations

The COVID-19 pandemic: broad partnerships for the rapid scale up of innovative virtual approaches for capacity building and credible information dissemination in Africa

Ambrose Otau Talisuna et al. Pan Afr Med J. .

Abstract

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread in Africa, with a total of 474,592 confirmed cases by 11th July 2020. Consequently, all policy makers and health workers urgently need to be trained and to access the most credible information to contain and mitigate its impact. While the need for rapid training and information dissemination has increased, most of Africa is implementing public health social and physical distancing measures. Responding to this context requires broad partnerships and innovative virtual approaches to disseminate new insights, share best practices, and create networked communities of practice for all teach, and all learn. The World Health Organization (WHO)-Africa region, in collaboration with the Extension for Community Health Outcome (ECHO) Institute at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC), the West Africa college of nurses and the East Central and Southern Africa college of physicians, private professional associations, academia and other partners has embarked on a virtual training programme to support the containment of COVID-19. Between 1st April 2020 and 10th July 2020, about 7,500 diverse health professionals from 172 locations in 58 countries were trained in 15 sessions. Participants were from diverse institutions including: central ministries of health, WHO country offices, provincial and district hospitals and private medical practitioners. A range of critical COVID-19 preparedness and response interventions have been reviewed and discussed. There is a high demand for credible information from credible sources about COVID-19. To mitigate the "epidemic of misinformation" partnerships for virtual trainings and information dissemination leveraging existing learning platforms and networks across Africa will augment preparedness and response to COVID-19.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; World Health Organization; epidemic; international health regulations; outbreak; pandemic; public health emergency; virtual training.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
subject matter experts drawn from WHO, universities, technical agencies and other partners in the region and sub region
Figure 2
Figure 2
geographical information system map showing the location of participants, globally for session 4
Figure 3
Figure 3
geographical information system map showing the location of participants from Africa for session 4
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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