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Challenges and Innovations Brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic Regarding Medical and Pharmacy Education Especially in Africa and Implications for the Future

Etando A 1 , Amu AA 2 , Haque M 3 , Schellack N 4 , Kurdi A 5 , Alrasheedy AA 6 Show all authors , Timoney A 5 , Mwita JC 7 , Rwegerera GM 8 , Patrick O 9 , Niba LL 9 , Boahen-Boaten BB 10 , Tabi FB 11 , Amu OY 11 , Acolatse J 12 , Incoom R 12 , Sefah IA 13 , Guantai AN 14 , Opanga S 15 , Chikowe I 16 , Khuluza F 16 , Kibuule D 17 , Kalemeera F 17 , Hango E 17 , Lates J 17 , Fadare J 18 , Ogunleye OO 19 , Saleem Z 20 , Oosthuizen F 21 , Cordier W 4 , Matlala M 22 , Meyer JC 22 , Schellack G 23 , Massele A 24 , Malande OO 25 , Kalungia AC 26 , Sichone J 27 , Banda SS 28 , Zaranyika T 29 , Campbell S 30 , Godman B 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
  • 2 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
  • 3 Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kem Perdana Sungai, Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences Building, Prinshof Campus, University of Pretoria, Arcadia 0083, South Africa
  • 5 Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
  • 6 Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim 51452, Saudi Arabia
  • 7 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 8 Department of Medicine, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 9 Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda, Cameroon
  • 10 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
  • 11 Department of Social Work, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
  • 12 Pharmacy Directorate, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Cape Coast, Ghana
  • 13 Pharmacy Practice Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana
  • 14 Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202 KNH, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
  • 15 Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202 KNH, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
  • 16 Pharmacy Department, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi
  • 17 Department of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek 10000, Namibia
  • 18 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti 362001, Nigeria
  • 19 Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Ikeja, Lagos 21266, Nigeria
  • 20 Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • 21 Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
  • 22 Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Garankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
  • 23 Pharmaceutical Industry, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
  • 24 Hurbert Kairuki Memorial University, 70 Chwaku Road Mikocheni, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
  • 25 Department of Child Health and Paediatrics, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya
  • 26 Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • 27 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • 28 Department of Medical Education Development, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
  • 29 Department of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe
  • 30 Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Healthcare (Basel), 2021 Dec 13;9(12).
PMID: 34946448 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9121722

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple measures introduced early to restrict COVID-19 have dramatically impacted the teaching of medical and pharmacy students, exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure and experience with e-learning at the start of the pandemic. In addition, the costs and reliability of the Internet across Africa pose challenges alongside undertaking clinical teaching and practical programmes. Consequently, there is a need to understand the many challenges and how these were addressed, given increasingly complex patients, to provide future direction.

METHOD: An exploratory study was conducted among senior-level medical and pharmacy educators across Africa, addressing four key questions, including the challenges resulting from the pandemic and how these were dealt with.

RESULTS: Staff and student members faced multiple challenges initially, including adapting to online learning. In addition, concerns with the lack of equipment (especially among disadvantaged students), the costs of Internet bundles, and how to conduct practicals and clinical teaching. Multiple activities were undertaken to address these challenges. These included training sessions, developing innovative approaches to teaching, and seeking ways to reduce Internet costs. Robust approaches to practicals, clinical teaching, and assessments have been developed.

CONCLUSIONS: Appreciable difficulties to teaching arising from the pandemic are being addressed across Africa. Research is ongoing to improve education and assessments.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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