Funder: UKRI- Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF).
Project Lead: Dr Dimitra Petrakaki (Project Lead), Digit Co-Lead, University of Sussex Business School.
Partners: Dr Petros Chamakiotis, ESCP Business School & USBS, Stephen Thomas, MedicineAfrica, Dr Farah Bede, GP, London, Dr Hassan Ali Doud, Hargeisa Hospital, Somaliland.
Background
The project explores how online education offered through platforms can contribute to the re-skilling of healthcare professionals during and post-Covid-19 in developing countries. Misinformation and lack of understanding around Covid-19 prevention cause unnecessary deaths in developing countries. The project will address this issue by training a cohort of doctors, nurses and health workers that are based in Somaliland. The training will be for free and will be delivered online and in a synchronous way through MedicineAfrica, a non-profit digital platform. The study will then evaluate the course in terms of its impact on the development of skills, knowledge and best clinical practice.
Research aims
The study explores whether and how digital platforms can be used as a rapid intervention to re-skill healthcare workers in emergencies.
Impact & Dissemination
- The study will provide insights concerning the role of digital platforms in strengthening fragile health economies and medical professions post-Covid-19
- The materials and delivery mechanism will be provided to co-teachers after the project has ended and a mentoring and support programme will be initiated to carry on teaching to other groups as ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
- The project will aim to define best practices for recording CPD and sharing relevant data with the Ministry of Health and the medical regulator