Stories from the field – Guinea-Bissau

GUINEA-BISSAU | Clinical management of acutely ill and injured patients – Combining face-to-face and online trainings

22 June 2021

In April and May 2021, WHO delivered hands-on training in clinical management in Guinea-Bissau in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and local actors.

The training, which focused on the management of acutely ill and injured patients with limited resources, targeted health care professionals from all regions in the country and was based on the WHO/ICRC Basic Emergency Care course. It was conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Creole, as learners came from multilingual backgrounds and could choose the language most suited to understanding technical concepts.

The training was tailored to meet the local needs and based on the most up-to-date WHO scientific guidance. Trainees developed aptitudes needed to address the complex array of health situations that might arise in initial assessment, where specialized care may never be available.

A total of 42 health professionals, doctors and nurses received their certification, provided by the African Federation for Emergency Medicine.

“The training was good and if we implement or apply what was retained in the training, many lives will be saved,” stated nurse Aly Djaló.

“This training is being very dynamic and practical. The knowledge acquired will allow us to save more,” said medical doctor Angelo Soares.

Alongside the field training, a comprehensive online course with modules dedicated to COVID-19 patients was also developed and made available on OpenWHO.org: Clinical management of patients with COVID-19: Initial approach to the acutely ill patient. The online course is currently being adapted into several languages, including Portuguese, Spanish and French. Further dissemination of the course will be done with the support of local actors who were involved in the field training in Guinea-Bissau.

"This training utilizes several different adult learning modalities, including hands-on practical skill stations, small-group sessions, writing, presentations and didactics. In conjunction with the OpenWHO.org online videos, learners in Guinea Bissau and beyond will be able to learn in any language and any modality that suits them best – this is the beauty of hybrid virtual and in-person clinical trainings. On-site mentorship will continue through our local partners, as well as national clinical staff who underwent a training of trainers course. These local clinicians will cascade these trainings further into the country," said Pryanka Relan, Technical Officer, WHO Headquarters.

Photo: Beatriz Sanchez - Consent has been obtained by country office

Read other Stories from the field

Esta página se ha cambiado por última vez en mar, 13 jul 2021 17:32:53 +0000.