janet meyers iawg annual meeting may, 2013 kuala lumpur

©2012 International Medical Corps

Janet MeyersIAWG Annual Meeting

May, 2013Kuala Lumpur

Addressing High Maternal and Newborn

Mortality through Support to Midwifery

Training Institutions in South Sudan


Background• Civil war resulted in significant HRH

shortages particularly midwives• Range of interim approaches to address gaps

in skilled birth attendants• 2010 – 96 community midwives (18 months

training), 36 certified midwives (2 yrs training) and 19 registered midwives (3+ yrs training)

• MOH HSDP prioritizes skilled health personnel needs

• IMC and MOH with support from UNFPA and CIDA, re-established midwifery training programs in Kajo Keji and Wau


Enrolled Midwifery Training in Kajo Keji and

Wau, South Sudan• 5 year program (January 2012 to July 2016) to

train 150 enrolled midwives and 80 bridge midwives – 230 enrolled midwives

• Students selected from 10 states (tracking sex disaggregated data)


Key Approaches: Curriculum and Collaboration• Standardized curricula

developed by MOH with support from UNFPA– 2.5 year training– 1 year for bridge training

• Support to 2 existing schools – NHTI and NMS

• Partnership and support from MOH, UNFPA, UNDP

• Coordination with AMREF


Key Approaches: Recruitment and

Foundation Courses• Student recruitment– MOH led– Representation from all

States• International trainers and

transition to local trainers• Preceptor training• English class as part of

foundations course in Wau County


Key approaches: Performance Based

• Skills lab• ICM 7 competencies• Continuous assessment

test (CAT)• Learning guide and

checklists for clinical area• Objective structured

practical exam (OSPE)


Key Approaches: Performance Based

(continued)

• Database to track individual performance

• MOH – Final Exam


Key Approaches: Deployment

• MOH Nursing and Midwifery Directorate Database

• Deployment strategy


Key Approaches: Partnerships

• MOUs with hospitals for practicum sites• Shared skills lab in Wau• Chinese battalion for school farm – Wau• Kenyan battalion for English classes – Wau


Challenges and Innovations• Shortages of qualified trainers and

hospital staff to mentor studentsResponse: UNV trainers supported by UNDPRecruitment, on the job training and

mentoring of South Sudanese trainersPlan to train preceptors: hospital midwifery

and nursing staffPilot peer assistant program in Wau while

working to increase number of competent preceptors


Challenges and Innovations• Insufficient supplies and medicines for training

including practicum sitesSupplement essential supplies for infection

prevention and advocate for improved supply chain management of essential RH medicines

MOU with private nursing school to use skills lab MOU with private hospital for practicum site


Challenges and Innovations• Insufficient case

load for clinical experienceExpanded to

additional hospitals

Mother – baby kits to encourage facility delivery

janet meyers iawg annual meeting may, 2013 kuala lumpur

Documents

community midwives

years training

years training

enrolled midwifery training

skilled health workers

months training

certified midwives

qualified health personnel