Healthcare (Dec 2021)
Challenges and Innovations Brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic Regarding Medical and Pharmacy Education Especially in Africa and Implications for the Future
- Ayukafangha Etando,
- Adefolarin A. Amu,
- Mainul Haque,
- Natalie Schellack,
- Amanj Kurdi,
- Alian A. Alrasheedy,
- Angela Timoney,
- Julius C. Mwita,
- Godfrey Mutashambara Rwegerera,
- Okwen Patrick,
- Loveline Lum Niba,
- Baffour Boaten Boahen-Boaten,
- Felicity Besong Tabi,
- Olufunke Y. Amu,
- Joseph Acolatse,
- Robert Incoom,
- Israel Abebrese Sefah,
- Anastasia Nkatha Guantai,
- Sylvia Opanga,
- Ibrahim Chikowe,
- Felix Khuluza,
- Dan Kibuule,
- Francis Kalemeera,
- Ester Hango,
- Jennie Lates,
- Joseph Fadare,
- Olayinka O. Ogunleye,
- Zikria Saleem,
- Frasia Oosthuizen,
- Werner Cordier,
- Moliehi Matlala,
- Johanna C. Meyer,
- Gustav Schellack,
- Amos Massele,
- Oliver Ombeva Malande,
- Aubrey Chichonyi Kalungia,
- James Sichone,
- Sekelani S. Banda,
- Trust Zaranyika,
- Stephen Campbell,
- Brian Godman
Affiliations
- Ayukafangha Etando
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Adefolarin A. Amu
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Mainul Haque
- Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kem Perdana Sungai, Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
- Natalie Schellack
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences Building, Prinshof Campus, University of Pretoria, Arcadia 0083, South Africa
- Amanj Kurdi
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- Alian A. Alrasheedy
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim 51452, Saudi Arabia
- Angela Timoney
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- Julius C. Mwita
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Godfrey Mutashambara Rwegerera
- Department of Medicine, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana
- Okwen Patrick
- Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda, Cameroon
- Loveline Lum Niba
- Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda, Cameroon
- Baffour Boaten Boahen-Boaten
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Felicity Besong Tabi
- Department of Social Work, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Olufunke Y. Amu
- Department of Social Work, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Joseph Acolatse
- Pharmacy Directorate, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Cape Coast, Ghana
- Robert Incoom
- Pharmacy Directorate, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Cape Coast, Ghana
- Israel Abebrese Sefah
- Pharmacy Practice Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana
- Anastasia Nkatha Guantai
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202 KNH, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
- Sylvia Opanga
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202 KNH, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
- Ibrahim Chikowe
- Pharmacy Department, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi
- Felix Khuluza
- Pharmacy Department, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi
- Dan Kibuule
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek 10000, Namibia
- Francis Kalemeera
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek 10000, Namibia
- Ester Hango
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek 10000, Namibia
- Jennie Lates
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek 10000, Namibia
- Joseph Fadare
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti 362001, Nigeria
- Olayinka O. Ogunleye
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Ikeja, Lagos 21266, Nigeria
- Zikria Saleem
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
- Frasia Oosthuizen
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
- Werner Cordier
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences Building, Prinshof Campus, University of Pretoria, Arcadia 0083, South Africa
- Moliehi Matlala
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Garankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
- Johanna C. Meyer
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Garankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
- Gustav Schellack
- Pharmaceutical Industry, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- Amos Massele
- Hurbert Kairuki Memorial University, 70 Chwaku Road Mikocheni, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
- Oliver Ombeva Malande
- Department of Child Health and Paediatrics, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya
- Aubrey Chichonyi Kalungia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- James Sichone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Sekelani S. Banda
- Department of Medical Education Development, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Trust Zaranyika
- Department of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Stephen Campbell
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Brian Godman
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9121722
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 9,
no. 12
p. 1722
Abstract
Background: Multiple measures introduced early to restrict COVID-19 have dramatically impacted the teaching of medical and pharmacy students, exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure and experience with e-learning at the start of the pandemic. In addition, the costs and reliability of the Internet across Africa pose challenges alongside undertaking clinical teaching and practical programmes. Consequently, there is a need to understand the many challenges and how these were addressed, given increasingly complex patients, to provide future direction. Method: An exploratory study was conducted among senior-level medical and pharmacy educators across Africa, addressing four key questions, including the challenges resulting from the pandemic and how these were dealt with. Results: Staff and student members faced multiple challenges initially, including adapting to online learning. In addition, concerns with the lack of equipment (especially among disadvantaged students), the costs of Internet bundles, and how to conduct practicals and clinical teaching. Multiple activities were undertaken to address these challenges. These included training sessions, developing innovative approaches to teaching, and seeking ways to reduce Internet costs. Robust approaches to practicals, clinical teaching, and assessments have been developed. Conclusions: Appreciable difficulties to teaching arising from the pandemic are being addressed across Africa. Research is ongoing to improve education and assessments.
Keywords