ABSTRACT
Background :The World Health Organization's World health report 2006: Working together for health underscores the importance of human resources for health. The shortage of trained health professionals is among the main obstacles to strengthening low-income countries' health systems and to scaling up HIV/AIDS control efforts. Traditional health practitioners are increasingly depicted as key resources to HIV/AIDS prevention and care. An appropriate and effective response to the HIV/AIDS crisis requires reconsideration of the collaboration between traditional and biomedical health providers (THPs and BHPs). The aim of this paper is to explore biomedical and traditional health practitioners' experiences of and attitudes towards collaboration and to identify obstacles and potential opportunities for them to collaborate regarding care for patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in two Zambian urban sites; using structured questionnaires. We interviewed 152 biomedical health practitioners (BHPs) and 144 traditional health practitioners (THPs) who reported attending to patients with STIs and HIV/AIDS. Results: The study showed a very low level of experience of collaboration; predominated by BHPs training THPs (mostly traditional birth attendants) on issues of safe delivery. Intersectoral contacts addressing STIs and HIV/AIDS care issues were less common. However; both groups of providers overwhelmingly acknowledged the potential role of THPs in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Obstacles to collaboration were identified at the policy level in terms of legislation and logistics. Lack of trust in THPs by individual BHPs was also found to inhibit collaboration. evertheless; as many as 40of BHPs expressed an interest in working more closely with THPs. Conclusion: There is indication that practitioners from both sectors seem willing to strengthen collaboration with each other. However; there are missed opportunities. The lack of collaborative framework integrating maternal health with STIs and HIV/AIDS care is at odds with the needed comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS control. Also; considering the current human resources crisis in Zambia; substantial policy commitment is called for to address the legislative obstacles and the stigma reported by THPs and to provide an adequate distribution of roles between all partners; including traditional health practitioners; in the struggle against HIV/AIDS
Subject(s)
Learning Health System , Medicine , Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeABSTRACT
Un Systeme d'Apprentissage Multimedia Interactif (SAMI) d'Hematologie (Travaux pratiques virtuels) developpe par la Faculte des Sciences de la Sante (FSS) de Cotonou et le Departement Communication; Audiovisuel; Multimedia (DCAM) de Bordeaux 2 a ete evalue.Vingt etudiants; choisis au hasard dans un groupe de 33 de 2eme annee de medecine; ont effectue; de facon autonome; les travaux pratiques virtuels (TPV) pour les groupages dans les systemes ABO et Rh ; les 13 restant ont fait les TP classiques. L'evaluation a ete theorique et pratique et les resultats en sont les suivants :Au plan global; 95des apprenants ont realise une performance allant de 80 a 100- Les performances realisees par les etudiants pour la maitrise des materiels et reactifs necessaires varient de 82 a 95en situation virtuelle et de 100en situation reelle - 85des etudiants ont obtenu une performance de 80 a 100en situation virtuelle pour la maitrise des modes operatoires et 95ont depasse 80de performance en situation reelle - Quant a l'interpretation des resultats; les performances varient de 92 a 100en situation virtuelle et de 80 a 100en situation reelle dont 100de score realise par 65des etudiants. En plus de ces acquisitions rapidement transmises par le SAMI d'Hematologie a la majorite des etudiants; seulement 30de la quantite de reactifs habituellement prevue pour les travaux pratiques classiques ont ete consommes ; les 70restant etant consommes par les 13 etudiants restant. Dans leur evaluation des TPV; les etudiants insistent sur le renforcement des exercices de l'auto evaluation et la systematisation de l'utilisation du SAMI pour tous les travaux pratiques