Table 2 Proposed health DRM training curricula for African health care workers
Curriculum | Objectives | Target audience | Admission criteria | Competencies addressed | Proposed duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic | The course will enable participants to define and apply basic knowledge about DRM to fulfil their role effectively in DRM | a) Health worker at the district level/or equivalent. b) Staff of humanitarian agencies c) Personnel who contribute to Health DRM from other sectors a) Persons interested in following a track in DRM as a carrier (academic, professional) | Persons eligible for this course must have at least a basic certificate/diploma (nursing, paramedical and/or medicine/dentistry, environmental health, veterinary science or social sciences) | Introduction to the principles of all the core competencies except for competency 5 and 6 | 48Â h (approximately 6 working days) |
Intermediate | The course will enable participants to apply knowledge of, and skills in health DRM to fulfil their role as effective sub-national managers in DRM and acquire the knowledge, attitude and skills to contribute to building country resilience | This course is applicable to mid-level health care personnel working in Health DRM at sub-national and national levels. | This course is applicable to participants with the following qualifications; a minimum of Bachelor’s degree in health or social sciences, with at least 1 year experience in health DRM or a basic diploma in health or social work, with the certificate of the basic course in Health DRM, or over 3 years’ experience in DRM. | All 14 core competencies are fully addressed in this course | 134 h (approximately 14 working days) |
Advanced | The course will enable participants to apply advanced management and leadership knowledge and skills about DRM to fulfil their role at national levels effectively and to have the knowledge, attitude and skills to contribute to building country resilience | This course is applicable to all personnel working in Health DRM at regional and national levels, and those intending to lead and manage Health DRM at national level. | This course is applicable to participants with the following qualifications; ▪ A basic or Master’s degree in health or social sciences, with at least 3 years’ experience in health DRM, PLUS ▪ The certificate in the Intermediate course in Health DRM. ▪ Attendance of the intermediate course is a prerequisite for being selected for this course | This course mainly involves an internship period of about 8 weeks, during which participants will undergo practical field placements. 1 week will be spent on orientation and briefing by the training institution, 6 weeks on field work, and 1 week for report writing, debriefing and oral defence of the report. The internship exercise involves application of the knowledge, attitude and skills related to the DRM cycle. Therefore, the intern will rotate through either: ▪ An emergency situation, preferably at the local level ▪ Field work on preparedness for a disaster | 14 working days (for the intermediate) plus 8 weeks for field placement |