UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
PRIMARY EYE CARE TRAINING OF TRAINERS (dates to be confirmed) (Course I)
The Community Eye Health Institute (CEHI) was established in 2008 with the broad aim to build capacity in Community Eye Health services in sub-Saharan Africa. Through education and training, programme development and research, CEHI aims to promote the application of the principles and techniques of advocacy, strategic leadership and programme management to improve the performance of district, provincial and national prevention of blindness programmes.
One of the key challenges prevention of blindness programmes in developing countries are facing is the lack of suitably trained human resources available for community eye health services. A nation-wide situational analysis of human resources for eye care in South Africa (Lecuona, 2006) showed that most districts failed to meet the minimum requirements for ophthalmic surgeons, optometrists and ophthalmic nurses, as recommended by the Vision 2020 initiative. On average, there were less than two ophthalmic nurses per million, as opposed to the recommended 10. Furthermore, only about one third of them worked in Vision 2020 programmes. Many ophthalmic nurses are deployed in eye operating rooms and surgery wards instead of in district programmes, where they can be most effective. It is likely that similar discrepancies exist in other countries in sub Saharan Africa.
Ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmic medical assistants form the important central link in the chain of “training, supervision, support, and referral” that extends from the community, through the primary and secondary levels, to the tertiary level. They are responsible for the eye care training, supervision, and support of community health workers and primary clinic nurses.
The training of community health workers and primary health care nurses in primary eye care will result in a better skilled district based workforce, and will ensure that core competencies of the ophthalmic nurse can be better applied to improve service delivery in prevention of blindness programmes in districts.
Purpose of the course
To provide PEC training to ophthalmic nurses who in turn will train clinic nurses and community eye health workers in primary eye care.
Course outcomes
1. Knowledge and understanding of principles and application of primary eye care
2. Ability to provide PEC training to clinic nurses including PHC, EPI and MOU and CHWs
3. Ability to plan, train and implement PEC in a district setting
4. Ability to monitor progress and report to district authorities
Eligible candidates
Public health service eye care personnel e.g. ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmic medical assistants, as well as primary health care (clinic, school, EPI and MOU) nurses and community health workers.
Topics covered
- Introduction to Vision 2020 and Primary Eye Care
- Principles of training of health care workers
- Community eye care for community health workers
- Primary eye care for primary health care nurses
- Overview of referral systems and service integration
Course venue
The course will be held at the Training Centre of the Community Eye Health Institute, located at Eye OPD, Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Road, Observatory. The hospital is situated on the main bus, taxi and train routes to and from the centre of Cape Town, which is approximately 5 km away.
Course structure
The course is run over 5 days (Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:30). The ophthalmic nurses will participate in the course for the full 5-day period, i.e. Monday to Friday. The clinic nurses will participate in two days of the programme (Thursday and Friday), while the community health workers will spend one day (Wednesday) in training.
The teaching methodology comprises a combination of didactic lessons, case study analysis, group exercises and discussions. Participants are encouraged to provide relevant work scenarios for use as case studies. Text guides will be provided as hand-outs.
Methods of assessment
Individual test against set objectives
Materials required but not provided
Candidates should have access to a flash light and basic stationery.
Cost of training
The course fee of R500 per participant is payable at registration, where applicable. Participants are expected to cover their own subsistence, travel, accommodation and incidental costs.
Application procedures
· Complete all sections of the attached Short course application form, making sure that it is properly dated and signed.
· Send to the CEHI Administrator by email or fax by 30 June 2011. Confirmation of acceptance will be communicated from July 2011, together with instructions for course registration.
Further information
Contact the CEHI Administrator, Zanele Magwa by email at , with a copy to , telephone +27-21-4066215 or fax to +27-21-406 6218. For further information, visit the CEHI website on www.cehi.uct.ac.za, or UCT website on www.uct.ac.za.
UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
PRIMARY EYE CARE TRAINING OF TRAINERS (to be confirmed) Course II
The Community Eye Health Institute (CEHI) was established in 2008 with the broad aim to build capacity in Community Eye Health services in sub-Saharan Africa. Through education and training, programme development and research, CEHI aims to promote the application of the principles and techniques of advocacy, strategic leadership and programme management to improve the performance of district, provincial and national prevention of blindness programmes.
One of the key challenges prevention of blindness programmes in developing countries are facing is the lack of suitably trained human resources available for community eye health services. A nation-wide situational analysis of human resources for eye care in South Africa (Lecuona, 2006) showed that most districts failed to meet the minimum requirements for ophthalmic surgeons, optometrists and ophthalmic nurses, as recommended by the Vision 2020 initiative. On average, there were less than two ophthalmic nurses per million, as opposed to the recommended 10. Furthermore, only about one third of them worked in Vision 2020 programmes. Many ophthalmic nurses are deployed in eye operating rooms and surgery wards instead of in district programmes, where they can be most effective. It is likely that similar discrepancies exist in other countries in sub Saharan Africa.
Ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmic medical assistants form the important central link in the chain of “training, supervision, support, and referral” that extends from the community, through the primary and secondary levels, to the tertiary level. They are responsible for the eye care training, supervision, and support of community health workers and primary clinic nurses.
The training of community health workers and primary health care nurses in primary eye care will result in a better skilled district based workforce, and will ensure that core competencies of the ophthalmic nurse can be better applied to improve service delivery in prevention of blindness programmes in districts.
Purpose of the course
To provide further training PEC training to ophthalmic nurses who in turn will train clinic nurses and community eye health workers in primary eye care.
Course outcomes
5. Knowledge and understanding of principles and application of primary eye care
6. Ability to provide PEC training to clinic nurses including PHC, EPI and MOU and CHWs
7. Ability to plan, train and implement PEC in a district setting
8. Ability to monitor progress and report to district authorities
Eligible candidates
Public health service eye care personnel e.g. ophthalmic nurses (who already completed PEC ToT course I), ophthalmic medical assistants, as well as primary health care (clinic, school, EPI and MOU) nurses and community health workers.
Topics covered
- Overview of Vision 2020 and Primary Eye Care
- Overview of training of health care workers
- Referral systems and service integration
- Community eye care for community health workers
- Primary eye care for primary health care nurses
- Monitoring primary eye care implementation at clinic level
Course venue
The course will be held at the Training Centre of the Community Eye Health Institute, located at Eye OPD, Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Road, Observatory. The hospital is situated on the main bus, taxi and train routes to and from the centre of Cape Town, which is approximately 5 km away.
Course structure
The course is run over 5 days (Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:30). The ophthalmic nurses will participate in the course for the full 5-day period, i.e. Monday to Friday. The clinic nurses will participate in two days of the programme (Thursday and Friday), while the community health workers will spend one day (Wednesday) in training.
The teaching methodology comprises a combination of didactic lessons, case study analysis, group exercises and discussions. Participants are encouraged to provide relevant work scenarios for use as case studies. Text guides will be provided as hand-outs.
Methods of assessment
Individual test against set objectives
Materials required but not provided
Candidates should have access to a flash light and basic stationery.
Cost of training
The course fee of R500 per participant is payable at registration, where applicable. Participants are expected to cover their own subsistence, travel, accommodation and incidental costs.
Application procedures
· Complete all sections of the attached Short course application form, making sure that it is properly dated and signed.
· Send to the CEHI Administrator by email or fax by 30 June 2011. Confirmation of acceptance will be communicated from July 2011, together with instructions for course registration.
Further information
Contact the CEHI Administrator, Zanele Magwa by email at , with a copy to , telephone +27-21-4066215 or fax to +27-21-406 6218. For further information, visit the CEHI website on www.cehi.uct.ac.za, or UCT website on www.uct.ac.za.