M-PACT (Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6 Partnership for African Clinical Training) is a 3-year project, sponsored by the Ecobank Foundation, and run by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in partnership with the West African College of Physicians (WACP).
Summary
The project aims to support WACP member countries in tackling HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, with a focus on sustainability through building local capacity. This report reviews the progress in achieving aims and objectives during year 1.
Overall, year 1 was successful in setting up three highquality regional MDG6 training centres and laying a strong foundation for continued training in years 2 and 3.* In the first year, two Doctors as Educators courses and three clinical courses were completed, including both national and international participants, with measurable gains in participant knowledge and extremely positive feedback from participants and faculty members. UK volunteers, as well as the Nigeria-based project manager, gathered at the RCP following the last course to debrief from the first round of courses. Following that, course conveners and members of the project board met with RCP staff in Accra in May 2015 to discuss the successes and challenges of year 1 and to make plans for the successful completion of year 2 goals.
RCP staff were also able to meet members of the Ecobank Foundation in Togo in May 2015 and share with them the progress in year 1, and the vision for the coming years.
The infection prevention component was brilliant – an eye opener at every level. I attended the course with two colleagues and since coming back, we’ve tried hard to push lots of the things we’ve learnt.
Year 2 will include two clinical courses each in Dakar, Ibadan and Accra, with one additional clinical course in Abuja (Nigeria). One key aim for year 2 is to include more participants from smaller and francophone countries in the region by accessing wider regional contact networks. We are looking forward to the continued fruitful collaboration to deliver sustainable education and training for doctors in West Africa to improve patient care for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and are grateful for the Ecobank Foundation’s ongoing support.
*See appendix for outcomes framework.
