Press Release
Tanzanian Nurse-Midwifery and Medical Schools to Improve Teaching with Technology
August 11, 2009
The American people have donated laptop computers and LCD projectors to all nurse-midwifery and medical schools throughout Tanzania to improve health education. The equipment will be used in classrooms by preceptors, tutors and clinical lecturers to improve the quality of preservice nursing, midwifery and medical education.
The laptop computers and LCD projectors have been distributed to each of Tanzania’s 63 nurse-midwifery schools and five medical schools. Representatives from all recipient institutions have been trained on the proper use and maintenance of the equipment; operation of basic software packages; and how to access relevant scientific resources on the internet. Additionally, each school received a copy of MODCAL-CTS, a ‘modified computer-assisted learning’ program designed to improve ‘clinical training skills’. Educators can follow the computer-based course at their own pace to review key clinical training skills in order to improve the quality of their own teaching and overall pre-service health education.
The equipment was secured through ACCESS, a five year global program managed by Jhpiego, with support from the American people through the United States Agency for International development (USAID) as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In Tanzania, ACCESS has collaborated with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by building the clinical skills of health workers to deliver quality focused antenatal care services, integrating the prevention of malaria in pregnancy, mother-to-child-transmission of HIV, and infection. The ACCESS program also focuses on strengthening the capacity of all nurse-midwifery schools and medical schools to ensure that new graduates provide quality services to women and children.