EPI TRAINING: THE WAY FORWARD

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EPI TRAINING THE WAY FORWARD

• By Dr Evariste Mutabaruka
• Capacity Building Officer
• WHO/AFRO, DDC/VPD.
• October 2004.

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PREREQUISITEIDEAL SITUATION

• All countries should have a comprehensive
  capacity building(CB) plan harmonized with the
  HFA/21st century, MDGs and their consequent
  MYP.
• In accordance with the HFA/21st century, MDGs
  their MYP CB plans, all countries should have
  at all levels an operational training plan
  addressing both pre- and in-service specific
  training needs.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES GOOD REMINDER!!(1)

• HFA/21st century immunization in HMP,
  decentralization and integration
• MDGs-4 Reduce CM by 2/3 by 2015
• EPI priorities as reference
• Goals 80/80 by 2005 90/80 by 2010 goals for
  DC NVI
• RED strategy
• EPI operations components
• Specific country needs/ MYP
• Focus on priority districts lower coverage

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES GOOD REMINDER!!(2)

• CB /training as supportive components
• Training as cornerstone to improve /maintain
  quality of immunisation services as well as
  personnel performance and motivation
• Training as entry point to introduce and
  implement innovations
• Training to be included in monitoring and
  supportive supervision at district health
  facility levels.

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CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENTS

• Human resources development
• - Planning
• - Education and Training
• - Management
• Service development (Norms and standards ,
  formative supervision)
• Institutional development (material and financial
  resources, technical assistance, networking)
• Empowerment of community.

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EPI TRAINING PROCESS

• Training needs assessment(TNA) for both
  pre-in-service.
• Adaptation/dvpt of training materials and tools
• Training of trainers/teachers
• Curriculum adaptation/revision
• Curriculum implementation(theory practice)
• Monitoring, supervision and evaluation
• Operational research.

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PRIORITY TARGET AUDIENCE

• Health workers at health facility level
• Community
• DHM team members
• Logisticians/cold chain technicians
• Data managers
• Epidemiologists/surveillance officers
• Communicators
• Teachers/professors/students
• Senior level managers.

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EPI TRAINING MATERIALS AND TOOLS

• Reference materials and tools Immunisation in
  practice package, Immunisation Essentials,
  various guidelines, MLM modules, Increasing
  immunisation coverage at health facility
  brochure, some job-aids
• To be adapted
• Prototype for curriculum revision
• Do not reinvent the wheel!!!

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EPI TRAINING SCENARIOS

• Intercountry course 2 weeks, every two years.
• Intercountry seminars/workshops on priority
  topics or for priority target audience 5 days
• National courses 5 days
• Provincial /district monitoring seminars 2
  days/monthly
• On site training ½ day during supportive
  supervision.

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EPI TRAINING METHODS AND MEDIA

• Adult learning principles
• Mastery learning methods participative and
  practical methods and scenarios
• Problem solving approach
• Modular approach
• Audio-visual and electronic media
• Programmatic manual and practical job-aids.
• Updated handouts.

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EPI TRAINING EVALUATION SYSTEM

• Diagnosis evaluation TNA, descriptive profile
  form, pre-test
• Formative evaluation daily evaluation form and
  report, mid-term evaluation
• Summative evaluation course evaluation,
  post-test
• Participation/competency certificate, diploma
• Follow-up and impact evaluation.

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PRIORITIES MODULES FOR MLM TRAINING

• Mod.1 Problem solving approach
• Mod.3 Communication for EPI
• Mod.4 Planning
• Mod.5 Increasing immun. Coverage
• Mod. 8 Cold chain management
• Mod.9 Vaccine management
• Mod. 10 immunisation safety
• Mod.15 New vaccines introduction
• Mod 17 Quality of SIAs
• Mod.19 IDSR
• Mod. 20 Monitoring data mangt
• Mod.21 Supportive supervision.

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EPI TRAINING REGIONAL PRORITIES

• Update job-aids finalise priority modules
• Reinforce integrated training at district level
• Focus on health facility and DHMT
• Use monitoring and supportive supervision
  scenarios
• Reorient surveillance officers
• Follow-up and evaluation of training sessions
  previously conducted
• Address pre-service training needs.

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EPI TRAINING RESOURCE PERSONS

• Regional officers
• ICP officers
• Training consultants
• In-country training officers
• Network of teachers/professors
• Collaborating training centers

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OUR BIG CHALLENGES!!

• INTEGRATION OF HEALTH PROGRAMMES
• INTEGRATION OF TRAINING AND SUPPORTIVE
  SUPERVISION AT DISTRICT LEVEL
• REDUCE BOTTLE NECK BETWEEN IN SERVICE AND
  PRE-SERVICE TRAINING
• ADDRESS PRE-SERVICE TRAINING NEEDS

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OUTLINE FOR A COUNTRY TRAINING PLAN

• Introduction/Context (HFA, MDGs, country health
  policy and strategies, HMP, EPI data etc)
• Problematic (HRD, EPI reviews, TNA, priority
  problems and projected solutions)
• Objectivos and strategies
• Plan of action (POA)

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PLAN OF ACTION