A Community of Practice to Address Uganda’s Human Resource Challenges Uganda Medical Association Scientific Conference 29 August 2015, Mbale Uganda Nelson Sewankambo Makerere University College of Health Sciences

Outline of the Presentation The status quo Some changes in medical education The place for Communities of Practice

What is UHC? “all people receiving quality health services that meet their needs without exposing them to financial hardship in paying for them” “giving virtually everyone access to preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services at an affordable cost” “good health at low cost with equity”

End of the World: Is universal access achievable?

Makerere Best in Research in East and Central Africa Out of the 1112.69 publications by Makerere in the referred period, 99.72 were cited by academics, a feat no other institution in East and Central Africa could attain.

How should we make progress? Does the current trend of medical practice in Uganda ensure progress towards accelerating access to quality health care for universal health coverage? The medical fraternity is challenged on how to play its role in reversing the trend. Ethiopia: The number of universities and health science colleges has grown from five in 2003 to 28 in 2015. Uganda: Gone from 2 medicals 20 years ago to 7 and many more health science schools Kampala International University…1000 students admitted Many new medical schools in the offing

The need to think outside-the-box Progress emerges from disturbances of a status quo and response to it. Using a communities of practice (CoP) approach to contribute to bringing about the needed system change in the production of medical practitioners. Success is more likely if such disturbances are embedded in an evidence-informed system that is supported by CoP approach.  

Communities of Practice (CoP) to support health professions education systems COPs: “Groups of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis”

Common Standards: Competencies developed by MESAU & Stake-holders Medical Knowledge Clinical skills and patient care Critical Inquiry and scientific method Professionalism and ethical practice Interpersonal and communication skills Leadership and management Population health Continuous improvement of care through reflective practice Health systems management

10 years Admissions at MESAU: Of 1824 admissions 1576 (86%) were from 10 (0.4%) Kampala secondary schools

Districts with MESAU COBERS Sites 2015

MakCHS Students at Kaabong Hospital, Karamoja

Grand round between MUST, MakCHS and JHU on care for children with severe acute malnutrition

Enhancing Graduate Tracking Capacity at MESAU Institutions

What we have done so far Involved professional Council Bodies in the process – Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (Dr. Katumba Ssentongo) Identified the MESAU GTS Team from MESAU Institutions: Roles and Responsibilities MESAU Institutions worked on data specifications and customized reports list. CapacityPlus supported MESAU Institutions to customize software to institutional needs. Collected sample data & uploaded it into the system – Google Forms and paper based. Launched the MESAU Graduate Tracking Software

Busitema University FHSc Department of Anatomy: MESAU modified and refurbished the building

Learning from elsewhere: The Anatomage Table - University of Botswana

Wet Lab with space for Research

Electronic Laboratory

Students demonstrate clinical skills in the MEPI-funded skills laboratory

Thank You