The core competencies for mental, neurological, and substance use disorder care in sub-Saharan Africa

نویسندگان

  • Pamela Y. Collins
  • Seggane Musisi
  • Seble Frehywot
  • Vikram Patel
چکیده

The 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study points to a changing landscape in which non-communicable diseases, such as mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders, account for an increasing proportion of premature mortality and disability globally. Despite evidence of the need for care, a remarkable deficit of providers for MNS disorder service delivery persists in sub-Saharan Africa. This critical workforce can be developed from a range of non-specialist and specialist health workers who have access to evidence-based interventions, whose roles, and the associated tasks, are articulated and clearly delineated, and who are equipped to master and maintain the competencies associated with providing MNS disorder care. In 2012, the Neuroscience Forum of the Institute of Medicine convened a meeting of key stakeholders in Kampala, Uganda, to discuss a set of candidate core competencies for the delivery of mental health and neurological care, focusing specifically on depression, psychosis, epilepsy, and alcohol use disorders. This article discusses the candidate core competencies for non-specialist health workers and the complexities of implementing core competencies in low- and middle-income country settings. Sub-Saharan Africa, however, has the potential to implement novel training initiatives through university networks and through structured processes that engage ministries of health. Finally, we outline challenges associated with implementing competencies in order to sustain a workforce capable of delivering quality services for people with MNS disorders.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Is the Role of Physicians Really Evolving Due to Non-physician Clinicians Predominance in Staff Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Health Systems?; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

Health workforce shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa are widely recognized, particularly of physicians, leading the training and deployment of Non-physician clinicians (NPCs). The paper by Eyal et al provides interesting and legitimate viewpoints on evolving role of physicians in context of decisive increase of NPCss in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certainly, in short or mid-term, NPCs will continue to be a...

متن کامل

A New Generation of Physicians in Sub-Saharan Africa?; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

This commentary follows up on an editorial by Eyal and colleagues in which these authors discuss the implications of the emergence of non-physician clinicians (NPCs) on the health labour market for the education of medical doctors. We generally agree with those authors and we want to stress the importance of clarifying the terminology to describe these practitioners and of defining more formall...

متن کامل

The Evolving Role of Physicians - Don’t Forget the Generalist Primary Care Providers; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

The editorial “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians” by Eyal et al describes non-physician clinicians’ (NPC) need for mentorship and support from physicians. We emphasise the same need of support for front line generalist primary healthcare providers who carry out complex tasks yet may have an inadequate skill mix.

متن کامل

Vaccinations of International Travellers From Greece to Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: The number of travellers from Greece who travel to sub-Saharan Africa has increased during the last decade. Our aim in this research was to study vaccination patterns for travellers travelling to sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2011 until December 2014 in all (57) public health departments in Gr...

متن کامل

Non-physician Clinicians – A Gain for Physicians’ Working in Sub-Saharan Africa; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

The changing demands on the health sectors in low- and middle-income countries especially sub-Saharan African countries continue to challenge efforts to address critical shortages of the health workforce. Addressing these challenges have led to the evolution of “non-physician clinicians” (NPCs), that assume some physician roles and thus mitigate the continuing shortage of doctors in these count...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره 8  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2015