1999 Training of Trainers Courses for Reproductive Health
---------------------------------------------------------
1999 Training of Trainers Course for Reproductive Health with emphasis
on Family Planning
44th course (Francophone): 15 March - 23 April
45th Course (Anglophone): 17 May - 25 June
46th Course (Francophone): 30 August - 8 October
47th Course (Anglophone): 25 October - 3 December
Profile of participants
Course participants must have a training role in reproductive health,
the required profile being:
1. tutors in professional schools such as medical, nursing and mid
wifery,
2. members of in-service training teams, and
3. central, regional and district supervisors who have major training
responsibilities as part of their supervisory activities. A mix of
medical practitioners, nurses and midwives is appropriate in view of
the interdisciplinary nature of primary health care and the exchange
of experiences.
Site of project
Project activities will continue the well-established collaboration be-
tween the Government of Mauritius, the Mauritius Institute of Health,
the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund
and the project will be based at its current premises on the second
floor of the building of the Mauritius Institute of Health in Powder
Mill, Pamplemousses.
Aims of the project
This phase of the regional project aims at improving the reproductive
health in sub-Saharan Africa by training trainers for reproductive
health with special emphasis on family planning. The project will con-
tinue activities that began in 1982 and have been modified over the
years in order to reflect changing priorities in the region. Emphasis
will henceforth be placed on
1. educational methodology as compared to clinical aspects,
2. revision of the curriculum so as to reflect the philosophy and ob-
jectives of the 1994 International Conference on Population and De-
velopment,
3. careful selection of participants in collaboration with country of-
fices of WHO and UNFPA, and
4. follow-up of participants so as to ensure that participation in the
courses is followed by appropriate training activities at the coun-
try level.
With the anticipated multiplier effect in the training of health work-
ers by former participants, it is expected that human resources for the
provision of reproductive health services in the region will be greatly
increased at the country level.
The project will target those countries where there is a greater need
for the training of personnel in reproductive health. This phase of
the project will be devoted mainly to the training of a critical mass
of trainers for reproductive health in each country so as to maximise
the efficiency of inputs through a cascade effect subsequently at the
country level.
Contents of courses
Each six-week course will consist of two modules:
1. family planning for reproductive health and
2. educational methodology.
These two modules will complement each other: topics on family planning
will be used as examples to illustrate relevant items in the module on
educational methodology and appropriate learning strategies and media
will be promoted in the module on family planning for reproductive
health.
Family planning for reproductive health
Lasting two weeks, the module on family planning for reproductive
health consists of an update of specific family planning methods as
well as the reproductive health concept. This modification in the cur-
riculum will ensure that prominence is given to relevant topics as
identified at the International Conference on Population and Develop-
ment held in Cairo, in 1994.
Educational methodology
Lasting four weeks, this module will be given increased emphasis in
view of its primordial role in the course: this project aims at train-
ing trainers for reproductive health as compared to training in clini-
cal aspects of family planning.
Participants will have the opportunity of carrying out a micro-teaching
session on a subject of their own choice. The session will be recorded
on a video tape which will be played back so as to provide feedback to
participants.
Country training course
With the support of the facilitators, participants will work in country
groups to develop a training course which they will be expected to im-
plement upon their return to their own countries. It is essential that
participants be fully aware of the priority training needs in reproduc-
tive health for their countries, and prepare, in collaboration with
their supervisors/funding agencies, a list of relevant topics before
leaving for Mauritius.
Participants might find it useful to bring with them relevant documents
for the preparation of those training courses.
Nomination of participants
Countries will be strongly encouraged to train a critical mass of
trainers for reproductive health by proposing groups of participants
for courses. The presence in a country of several former participants
will encourage mutual support for carrying out subsequent training ac-
tivities as compared to single individuals who would not be otherwise
motivated to act alone. It would be desirable for participants to at-
tend in groups of three or four from each country.
We would like to receive, confidentially if needed, your evaluation of
candidates and any other comments that would help in our selection of
participants. About 24 participants will be selected to attend each
course.
Expenses of participants
Tuition fees of US$ 2,500 will be charged for each participant.
Sponsoring agencies will be also responsible for the travel arrange-
ments of participants and the living allowance for the time spent in
Mauritius. Those agencies will be expected to provide participants with
the airline ticket as well as an advance in foreign currency for the
days spent in transit for both legs of the journey.
Living expenses of each participant are calculated on the basis of the
prevailing stipend rates for United Nations fellows and the number of
days spent in Mauritius. With the current daily subsistence allowance
of Mauritian Rupees 3,920 and an exchange rate of US$ 1 = MR 24.436,
the participant arriving 2 days before and leaving 2 days after the
course would receive:
Days Stipend % Daily allowance Total allowance
(Mauritian Rupees) (Mauritian Rupees)
1st 30 45% 3,920 X 0.45 = 1,764 1,764 X 30 = 52,920
last 14 30% 3,920 X 0.30 = 1,176 1,176 X 14 = 16,464
Total 69,384
The above living allowance of MRs 69,384 is currently equivalent to US$
2,839.
Entry visa
Details of arrival and passport (nationality, passport number, dates of
issue and expiry) should be sent to us as soon as possible so that nec-
essary arrangements could be made for participants to be met at the
airport and also for their entry visa. The project will obtain a col-
lective visa for all participants. Participants from non-Commonwealth
countries may have to leave their passports at the immigration desk at
the airport. Those passports will be collected and returned to them
within a few days.
Follow-up of participants
Within six weeks of the end of the course, each participant will submit
a report to the funding agency. About six months after each course, a
follow-up questionnaire will be sent to all participants. The question-
naire will include items such as learning, performance and impact indi-
cators.
Success of this project can only be achieved by an adequate follow-up
of former participants to promote further activities. Funding of those
follow-up activities will be met from the national funds of reproduc-
tive health projects of WHO and UNFPA. Former participants have a major
role to play as national facilitators in the holding of subsequent
workshops.
Close working relationships with WHO and UNFPA country offices as well
as the three country support teams will promote the maintenance of con-
tacts with former participants and encourage them to use their experi-
ence for follow-up activities.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need further informa-
tion. We look forward to receiving application from suitable individu-
als.
Dr. K. Gungah, Project Director
UNFPA/WHO/MOH Regional Training of Trainers Project
for Reproductive Health
Mauritius Institute of Health
Pamplemousses, Mauritius
Tel:+230-243-4268/3772/3698
Fax:+230-243-4014
mailto:prffsr@mu.refer.org
--
Send mail for the `AFRO-NETS' conference to `afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org'.
Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'.
For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org'.