• Sample 1 •
Locally appropriate training and health education is the basis for sustainable work force development. Experience from the Haitian Health Foundation, an NGO serving a rural population in the Grand Anse since 1987, will demonstrate key elements of training and sustainability. HHF currently provides a comprehensive package of family services to 200,000 people. Services include well baby care, perinatal services, detection, treatment and referral of the principal infectious diseases based on strong participatory health education. Social/community mobilization and local capacity building has been a guiding principle. Workforce development began with 25 people who were selected by local communities to be trained as health agents in 1988. Currently 40 health agents, 6 auxilliary nurse supervisors, and over 150 other staff employed by HHF. They work with 211 village midwives, and 3000 mothers and fathers group members. The midwives have received WHO training and birthing kits. Ongoing training and development and use of international training materials are essential workforce development components. US health care professionals and students are an integral part of staff education. The development of training sessions and materials, use and adaptation of free-standing training modules, working with communities, initial funding and sustainability, and examples of training curricula will be provided.

• Sample 2 •
OBJECTIVES: Participants will learn: how evidence-based continuing education can facilitate work force development despite restricted resources and high demand for services; and, how adult learning methods, train-the-trainer approaches and development of decentralized training strategies can develop primary care and emergency response capacities, with an obstetrics example. BACKGROUND: Political and economic conditions in the Republic of Georgia have wrought massive changes to the primary health care system. Financial and technological resource constraints have limited the updating of maternity and emergency care services. Modernization of clinical protocols and upgrading of clinical skills despite limitations remain important goals for the Georgian Health Ministry. METHODS: The Georgian Health Ministry invited an obstetric emergency course, with emphasis on adult-learner teaching methods, to be taught to obstetric staff. Modification of a North American evidence-based format allowed emphasis on strategies for working with knowledgeable learners, and use of practical experience. Newly trained providers then teach and facilitate further in-country trainings to continue distribution of the new competencies and information. CONCLUSION: This model of evidence-based continuing education can provide rapid workforce development with limited resources, utilizing adult learning methods, local assets and practical experience. These strategies can be helpful in many international and rural settings.