Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 13652
Country/Region: Ethiopia
Year: 2012
Main Partner: Johns Hopkins University
Main Partner Program: JHPIEGO
Organizational Type: University
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $275,000

This is a new partner supporting a continuing activity. The goal of the HIV/AIDS continuing medical education (CME) program is to strengthen human capacity and improve HIV service delivery. It is a key activity under the GOE's national Human Resources for Health (HRH) strategy and supports the goals of the GOE and USG HIV/AIDS Partnership Framework and Global Health Initiative. This CME activity is national in scope and aims to update the skills and knowledge of health care practitioners. An innovative evidence-based curriculum developed by Mayo Clinic will be used to standardize and systematize HIV/AIDS CME training. JHPIEGO will guide the overall process to establish the HIV/AIDS CME system for physicians and nurses though coordinating inputs and leadership from USG and government stakeholders. The CME program will be implemented throughout Ethiopia where internet access is available. Where internet access is limited, JHPIEGO will work with regional institutions to directly provide the CME. The program will be implemented in collaboration with the GOE Ministry of Health and professional associations and may serve as a platform for a new USAID program focused on developing a comprehensive system for credentialing and accrediting health professionals. Ultimately, the responsibility of implementing CME activities will be transferred to local professional health associations. The effectiveness of the HIV/AIDS CME program will be measured through pre and post measures, number of learners beginning and completing a course, and annual growth trend in program participation per learner levels. JHPIEGO has a monitoring and evaluation plan and an end-of-program evaluation will be conducted.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $275,000

The purpose is to improve the performance of healthcare practitioners and improve the quality and efficiency of health service delivery through continuing medical education (CME) for HIV/AIDS. Currently there is not a uniform system for developing the content of HIV/AIDS CME materials. While professional associations are active, they lack the capacity and resources to develop a strong system for offering CME. This activity aims to develop an HIV/AIDS CME system for physicians and nurses. It is complemented by Mayo Clinics activities that focus on CME content and quality assurance. JHPIEGO will guide the overall process to establish the HIV/AIDS CME system and coordinate inputs and leadership from USG and government stakeholders. Activities include assessing the current CME activities (including those being conducted by USG partners), establishing a CME task force, developing a network, working with regulatory bodies in establishing standards, building capacity of local universities to plan and conduct CME (i.e. faculty development) and evaluating the CME network. USAID, in FY12, is launching overall Human Resources for Health (HRH) program that includes the development of a comprehensive CME system for credentialing and accrediting health professionals. JHPIEGOs HIV/AIDS CME program will likely be an element of this broader system and may serve as a platform for its initial development. Development of the organizational capacity of professional associations, such as the Ethiopian Medical Association, Ethiopian Nursing Association, and Ethiopian Public Health Association, is a key element of the USAID HRH program. As the capacity of these and other professional associations strengthen, the USG will transfer the responsibility to manage the CME system to these organizations, and the level of support needed from JHPIEGO to manage the HIV/AIDS CME activity will decrease.

Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $275,000
Human Resources for Health $275,000
Key Issues Identified in Mechanism
enumerations.Impact/End-of-Program Evaluation