" with the third eye we can detect mistakes and correct them '' Supportive supervision and the management of Clubfoot by Ponseti method: Qualitative experiences from Mwanza, Tanzania.

Supportive supervision is the key to health programs in the provision of quality care. Clubfoot or Congenital Talipes Equinovarus remains among the prevalent congenital musculoskeletal birth defects in Tanzania. In 2015, Tanzania introduced supportive supervision guidelines for clubfoot treatment. However, little is known about how supportive supervision helps maintain the skills of providers. To analyze the supportive supervision in maintaining the clinical skills of healthcare workers in clubfoot management in Mwanza, Tanzania. An exploratory qualitative case study employing in-depth interviews (IDIs) with healthcare providers, supervisors, and parents of children with clubfoot was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania. Data were collected from 3 purposefully selected hospitals and 32 IDI were conducted with the selected participants between April and May 2021. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct the IDIs. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. Two categories were identified in this study. First "the contribution of supportive supervision" attributed by its purpose and the success brought by the supportive supervision. Second, "the maintenance of healthcare workers' skills was attributed to their willingness to learn and actively engage in supportive supervision, cooperation with clinics and clubfoot programmes, and material support. The findings of this study underscore the contribution of supportive supervision to maintaining skills in the management of clubfoot in Tanzania. The findings of this study highlight the importance of joint efforts to maintain quality service skills.

Evaluation of an E-Learning Course for Clubfoot Treatment in Tanzania: A Multicenter Study.

In total, 80% of clubfoot cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, where lack of clinical knowledge of the Ponseti method of treatment presents as a major barrier to treatment. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an electronic learning course to teach clinicians in Tanzania Ponseti method theory. A total of 30 clinicians were recruited from clinics with high referral rates for clubfoot patients and invited to 1 of 3 training sites: Mbeya (n = 15), Zanzibar (n = 10), and Mwanza (n = 5). Baseline knowledge, measured through a pretest, was compared to performance on a posttest after e-learning course completion. Scores for Mbeya and Zanzibar participants improved from 44 ± 12.5 to 69.8 ± 16.5 (P < .0001) and 44.3 ± 14.0 to 67.9 ± 21.4 (P = .01), respectively. Our results suggest that an e-learning course may be an effective method of disseminating Ponseti method theory in Tanzania. Successful implementation requires an understanding of the device availability and technology literacy of the users.