AfrIPEN Conference in Blantyre, Malawi

AfrIPEN Conference in Blantyre, Malawi

Miss Sthembiso Ncube (PhD Candidate: Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology) & Dr Renata Eccles (Senior lecturer: Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology)

From the 13th to 17th of September 2023, a group of seven academics from the Department of Speech-language Pathology & Audiology attended and presented at an international conference and partnership-building day hosted by the Africa Interprofessional Education Network (AfrIPEN) in Blantyre, Malawi. AfrIPEN is an organisation with consensus-based partnerships between various institutions and individuals with the vision to establish interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) as an integral part of the training of the health workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa. This multidisciplinary organisation strives to advocate for, collaborate on, promote and share good practices of IPECP in Sub-Saharan Africa. The theme of the conference was “IPECP: Are we making a difference in Africa”, with sub-themes of “Evidence-based studies highlighting impact of IPECP in Africa” and “Community health promotion in IPECP”.

The seven colleagues from the department presented various topics:

Dr Renata Eccles presented on “IPECP in Sub Saharan Africa: A Dirisana+ Project workshop” in which she reported on an IPECP workshop held in March 2023 as part of the Dirisana+ project. The Dirisana+ Project is funded by a Capacity Building Grant in Higher Education (CBHE-JP) and involves seven higher education institutions including University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa; University of Namibia and Welwitchia Health Training Centre, Namibia; University of Turku, Finland; and Maastricht University, Netherlands. Through training aligned with community and societal needs, the project aims to improve undergraduate and postgraduate health-related student learning experiences, as well as graduates’ readiness for the workplace. Colleagues from Maastricht University visited the sub-Saharan African (SSA) institutions over the week. The aim of the workshop was to review the current IPECP activities at the SSA institutions and to develop a collaborative road map going forward to foster IPECP further in SSA. The presentation at AfrIPEN described the workshop, outcomes and forthcoming plans.

Ms Sthembiso Ncube and Ms Meghna Patel presented on “Undergraduate allied healthcare professional students’ perceived knowledge of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)”  where they outlined the results of their undergraduate research study. It was apparent that undergraduate allied healthcare professional students were not confident in their abilities to provide services for children with ASD, despite having received some formal training on how to support this population. This study thus brought to light the importance of fostering adequate ASD knowledge at an undergraduate level already, to prepare allied healthcare professional students for managing children with ASD once they are qualified professionals in their field. The study recommends a re-evaluation of the curriculum taught to undergraduate allied healthcare professional students, emphasising on detailed ASD knowledge and IPECP, so as to prepare them for future service delivery.

Mr Mpilo Booi presented on “Undergraduate health and social care students' experiences of interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): A scoping review”. This study aimed to provide a map of existing literature and evidence of reported experiences of undergraduate students regarding their participation in IPECP activities in LMIC contexts. The ultimate goal was to provide an overview of the state of knowledge in the field and help inform future research or decisions regarding the integration of IPECP in the curriculum.

Dr Maria du Toit presented on “The reliability and perceptions of community healthcare workers on mHealth developmental screening for vulnerable children”. This study focused on the role of various community members working alongside qualified speech-language therapists to conduct developmental screening of preschool children. The study found that community workers can successfully and accurately screen children for possible developmental concerns, and community healthcare workers reported this to be an essential, easy-to-deliver service that should be conducted on a regular basis within their communities.

Dr Shabnam Abdoola and Dr Carmen Milton presented on “Building IPECP into community health promotion”. This project aims to conduct ECD practitioner training in a hybrid and hyflex environment and has been integrated into the community engagement module in 2023. The project provides third-year students with experiential learning and makes use of technology to facilitate learning. It will also allow us, as healthcare professionals, to address the needs of communities by bridging the digital divide and giving low-resourced communities access to skills and resources through online mediums. A large part of bridging the digital divide in this project centres around enhancing digital literacy skills and improving ECD practitioners’ ability to create content online which can be used sustainably for longer periods of time. This project is aligned with the University of Pretoria’s objective to initiate innovative research that is relevant, and provide quality teaching and learning in which high-impact community engagement activities are embedded that facilitate sustainable community upliftment.

All conference attendees enjoyed the conference and found it very valuable. Below are some quotes on what they took away from the conference:

●Dr Renata Eccles: “AfrIPEN is always a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues that believe in interprofessionalism! The interactions between attendees were so inviting and the level of output from presenters was high quality. I left feeling inspired to continue to spread IPECP in all interactions!”

●Ms Sthembiso Ncube: “IPECP is a movement that is growing rapidly within the African continent and this is due to the people advocating and promoting it all having the same drive and goal in mind. Our conversations at this conference showed that together we can go far. I am looking forward to being an IPECP ambassador and recruiting more people!”

●Ms Meghna Patel: "As a first-time attendee at the Congress, it was very quickly apparent that everyone involved with AfrIPEN is extremely committed to creating a healthcare system where our patients are a priority and they are all living examples of the AfrIPEN message. It was such an honour to interact with and learn from so many knowledgeable colleagues, and a relief to know that there are so many other wonderful people fighting the fight to achieve IPECP."

●Mr Mpilo Booi: “It was a wonderful experience, thoroughly enjoyed it. I made great connections with like-minded comrades.”

●Dr Maria du Toit: “I thoroughly enjoyed the passion for IPECP that was exhibited by the delegates. Although it was a small conference, the passion and work that has been done and is going on regarding IPECP is representative of a much larger group of people. This is the exact example of passion that meets excellence. I am excited to see what will happen over the next few years!”

●Dr Shabnam Abdoola: “The conference was a great experience, with inspiring presentations. I enjoyed hearing what colleagues are doing in their projects, and am looking forward to seeing how we can work together going forward”

●Dr Carmen Milton: “The conference was an incredibly valuable and inspiring experience. It highlighted the importance of ongoing efforts to effect positive change in Africa. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with inspiring individuals who are spearheading innovative projects and initiatives and their dedication and passion for making a difference in the region were truly inspirational. Their stories and achievements serve as a testament to the potential for positive change in Africa. The discussions and presentations reiterated that making a difference is an ongoing journey. The conference left me feeling excited and optimistic about the future direction of IPECP in Africa.”

With the conference completed, AfrIPEN continues to focus on expanding on and advocating for IPECP throughout the continent through various working groups. These groups consist of members and collaborators of AfrIPEN. There are currently four working groups that exist, including Situational Analysis, Capacity Building, Impact Evaluation and Policy Development.

If you are as passionate about IPECP as these individuals, AfrIPEN might just be the place for you. To learn more about this international organisation and/or become a member and join a working group, visit this website https://afripen.org/. Alternatively, you can contact Dr Renata Eccles ([email protected]) and she can assist you where she can.