Training reproductive health professionals in a post-conflict environment

Exploring medical, nursing, and midwifery education in Mogadishu, Somalia

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3972673
AutoresAbdiasis Yalahow (University of Ottawa), Mariam Hassan (0009-0008-4798-3602, Independent Consultant, Mogadishu, Somalia), Angel M Foster (0000-0001-8848-203X, University of Ottawa, autor de correspondencia)
Año2017
Volumen25
Número51
Páginas114-123
Fecha de publicación2017-11-30
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaReproductive Health Matters (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0968-8080 • E-ISSN: 1460-9576
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09688080.2017.1405676
PMID29210333
OpenAlexW2773616938
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas9

Following two decades of civil war, Somalia recently entered the post-conflict rebuilding phase that has resulted in the rapid proliferation of higher education institutions. Given the high maternal mortality ratio, the federal government has identified the reproductive health education of health service professionals as a priority. Yet little is known about the coverage of contraception, abortion, pregnancy, childbirth, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in medicine, nursing, or midwifery. In 2016, we conducted a multi-methods study to understand the reproductive health education and training landscape and identify avenues by which development of the next generation of health service professionals could be improved. Our study comprised two components: interviews with 20 key informants and 7 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 48 physicians, nurses, midwives, and medical students. Using the transcripts, memos, and field notes, we employed a multi-phased approach to analyse our data for content and themes. Our findings show that reproductive health education for medical and nursing students is inconsistent and significant content gaps, particularly in abortion and SGBV, exist. Students have few clinical training opportunities and the overarching challenges plaguing higher education in Somalia also impact health professions programmes in Mogadishu. There is currently a window of opportunity to develop creative strategies to improve the breadth and depth of evidence-based education and training, and multi-stakeholder engagement and the promotion of South-South exchanges appear warranted

Environmental health · Obstetrics · Population · Reproductive health · Global Maternal and Child Health · Health and Conflict Studies · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Nursing · Psychology