A Best Practice Model Using Video Conferencing to Enhance HIV/AIDS Capacity Development in Resource-Limited Countries in Africa Sandy Pillay1 Kalavani Moodley1 Hatim Sid Ahmed2 Nicholas Kiambi3 Gerlinde Reiprich4 1. Enhancing Care Initiative, UKZN; 2. Centre for Professional Development (CPD) Khartoum, North- Sudan; 3. African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF), Kenya; 4. Health Focus GmbH, Germany

CONTENTS Background to East Southern African HIV Knowledge Hub Design and implementation of the eLearning platform Academic programmes linked to video conference platform Inter-country programme experience Conclusions

Background to East Southern African HIV Knowledge Hub

EAST SOUTHERN AFRICAN HIV KNOWLEDGE HUB WHO-supported initiative involving Kenya, North Sudan and South Africa Funded by GIZ and supported by HealthFocus Aim to promote capacity development in member countries to improve the HIV response Member organisations: AMREF, Kenya CPD, North Sudan ECI, South Africa

BACKGROUND HIV poses a challenge for capacity development: Many health workers have not had formal clinical training Body of HIV knowledge constantly changing Expert pool is limited “Building the plane while it’s flying” Many African countries have developed training programmes in various aspects of HIV management There is a reluctance to embrace technology: Lack of expertise in IT Perceived/real lack of IT infrastructure Fear of change

Design and implementation of eLearning platform

BACKGROUND ECI has been using video conferencing for 8 years: Teaching programmes Tele-diagnosis Challenges in Africa IT expertise and infrastructure poor Varying bandwidth for connectivity High cost of ISDN-based video conference Multi-point electronic learning platform set up in SA, Kenya and North Sudan involving IP-based, high definition, real-time interaction by ESA

WHAT IS AN eLEARNING PLATFORM Integrated set of tools and resources that allow participants to access the content of materials online, on time, on demand Allows for interaction and sharing of content and resources Widely disseminate information Enable interaction between learners and academia Includes Video Conference, interactive websites, email support, document repositories

HOW DOES VC WORKS?

Inter-country programme experience

ECI EXPERIENCE HIV diploma and short programmes video conferenced to deep rural areas

ECI EXPERIENCE HIV diploma and short programmes video conferenced to deep rural areas High level of acceptability by delegates No significant difference in performance between parent and distant site Significantly larger number of students at distant sites chose to continue with academic opportunities

KENYA – SUDAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME 10 day project management course held in Kenya by AMREF, video conferenced to North Sudan High definition quality Good interaction between sites Good acceptability Cost analysis demonstrated that the training represented a saving of $30 000 Program followed by series of meetings with role players including ministers of health and telecom

Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS IT has been used cost-effectively by ESA to link countries in Africa in order to disseminate information and develop capacity in health care Video conference has been shown to be successful for inter-country training and meetings The ESA has developed a toolkit for African countries for simple set up of an electronic platform which is adaptable to varying bandwidth quality which should be extended beyond ESA

pillay@ukzn.ac.za