Uganda

Together with our local partners in Uganda, we drafted an Implementation Plan to establish fourteen Training for Life centers in all teaching and district hospitals. In 2014, we were invited by the then New Mulago Hospital to initiate a training program for all Senior House Officers of the obstetric department. Using a train-the-trainer model, we first trained senior obstetric staff members to become a medical and communication trainer in simulation-based education. In 2015 and 2016, they trained the SHO's on a regular basis in medical skills, teamwork and communication. Training content is the result of collaboration between local and international trainers, taking into account local systemic factors. Therefore we established in 2018 an electronic birth registry and a maternity dashboard in collaboration with Perined, the Dutch Perinatal Registration Office. This digital birth register highlights the main adverse outcomes in Uganda and helps health care personnel take preventive measures. This digital health solution has already been adopted by 180 health care providers, who entered 37 pregnancy and delivery parameters (e.g., mortality, preterm birth, APGAR score) for >6,500 deliveries. The service is available to the female population of MSWNH and KC (>20,000 women annually) through a web-based pregnancy app (MAMA app).

The local trainers participated in a refresher course in both 2015 and 2018, provided by the Dutch Training for Life team. Together with the Ugandan professional societies and the Ugandan Ministry of Health, they drafted the Training for Life Implementation Plan for the whole of Uganda. The plan advocates a multidisciplinary approach, rolled out over all teaching and district hospitals. To this end, a second batch of healthcare professionals was educated as simulation-based trainer. These trainers were recruited from all acute care professionals in obstetrics: pediatricians, anesthetists, obstetricians, nurses and midwives. They subsequently train their collegues during a full training day with several scenarios that are practiced several times. Afterwards, repetition training of 2 hours every six months are provided for all healthcare professionals. All scenarios are adapted to the local sitution, both with respect to training needs and clinical protocols.

In 2019, the first three Training for Life centers are officially opened in Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital, Kawempe Campus, and teaching hospital of Mbale. At the same time, seven technicians were trained to become simulation specialist to address the technical aspects during simulation training.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to adapt the training plan for 2020. As a result, the planned train-de-trainer course for the hospital in Mbale had to be delayed. In the end, the training was provided by the master trainer from Kampala on 3rd to 5th of December 2020. The training was supported remotely by the Dutch team via Teams. During this training, seven new trainers have been certified, as well as two simulation specialists. One of the simulation specialists is based in the hospital of Gulu. As long as the pandemic continues, we expect that it will be possible to continue training in this hybrid way.

Furthermore, the hospitals of Kabale, Gulu and Lira are contacted to initiate a local Training for Life center and corresponding train-the-trainer course.

Maternal & Child Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China

In november 2015, we were invited by the Maternal & Child Hospital in Shijiazhuang to improve obstretric care by simulation-based training. Hence in 2016, the local Training for Life center was opened and a train-the-trainer course was provided to Chinese obstetricians,midwives, anesthetists, pedicatricians and communication experts. They were trained in simulation-based education, and since of then, they trained their medical colleagues in obsteric care. In december 2016, the Dutch Training for Life team revisited the center.

New projects

There is much interest in the scientifically sound approach of Training for Life to enhance the quality of birthcare through multiprofessional teamtraining in medical simulation centers. Training for Life Foundation received request for new projects not only in Africa, but also from Asia and South America. All projects are intensively discussed with local healthcare workers, to match the training objectives with the training content.

If you are interested in any of these programs, you can contact Training for Life Foundation.

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