Building leaders for eye care in Africa: the COECSA-RCOphth VISION 2020 - LINK - UK ...
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VISION 2020
Building leaders for eye care in Africa:
the COECSA-RCOphth VISION 2020
LINK
BY NICK ASTBURY, DENISE MABEY, JOSIAH ONYANGO AND MARCIA ZONDERVAN
T
he VISION 2020 LINK [1] between 3. Improve the quality of training for examiners who have benefitted from
the College of Ophthalmology of ophthalmologists in the region. RCOphth examiner training, led by Carrie
Eastern, Central and Southern 4. Increase the number of MacEwen, Emily Beet and George Hibdige,
Africa (COECSA) and the Royal ophthalmologists trained in each which has taken place each year before the
College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) member institution. exam.
has been building leaders of eye care in 5. Increase the quality and volume of
Africa since 2008, when a Memorandum research publications in ophthalmology
of Understanding was signed by the CEO within the region. The experience of David Kasongole,
of the then Eastern African College of 6. Strengthen the network for Ophthalmologist in Mongu district,
Ophthalmologists (EACO), Sheila Mugo, comprehensive eye care with Ministries Zambia, is testament to the success
and the RCOphth President, Brenda of Health and Ministries of Education of the COECSA fellowship exam: “It
Billington [2]. (MOH/MOE) and other partners to took me time to decide whether I
Since then, EACO has grown in meet the needs in the region. should sit the fellowship exam in
size and stature, merging with the 7. Develop a sustainable organisation 2014, having already established
Ophthalmological Society of Eastern framework for the institutional myself as an Honorary Fellow of ICO.
Africa (OSEA) and becoming the College development of EACO. Besides, I left my classroom in Nairobi
of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Within these overall areas, the RCOphth four years earlier. Nonetheless, with
Southern Africa (COECSA) [3], covering has shared its considerable expertise and encouragement from colleagues and
eight countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, contributed in several ways: inspiration from my former classmate
Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Ethiopia • Planning the COECSA fellowship exam, who pioneered the fellowship in
2010, I took up the challenge. I found
and Zambia). South Sudan, Zimbabwe training examiners and assisting with
the whole experience to be exciting,
and Mozambique have also applied for delivery of a high quality exam
coming face-to-face with former
membership and are likely to be admitted • Developing a harmonised, on-line
lecturers and colleagues who have
soon. COECSA has also expanded to curriculum for ophthalmologists’
become examiners. The fact that the
embrace mid-level eye workers as well as training
RCOphth has walked with COECSA
ophthalmologists. • Training the Trainers
and added external exam observers
The intention of the LINK has always • Helping develop relevant guidelines for
encourages more candidates to take
been to help COECSA realise its full target diseases
the exam. This fellowship is of a world
potential to co-ordinate high quality • Exchange continuing professional standard and ought to be pushed
training in the region and oversee the development (CPD) visits to the to greater heights; the sky is not the
highest standards of practice. With the RCOphth Congress and the COECSA limit! Having successfully taken the
second COECSA Scientific Conference Conference, for shared learning fellowship I am now more motivated
having taken place in Livingstone, Zambia • Leadership training and mentoring for in my work and enjoy being part of
in late 2014, this is a good time to review young ophthalmologists. the large COECSA family. Furthermore,
progress of the College-to-College VISION I now reckon that I am ready to go
2020 LINK. The COECSA fellowship exam for my dream – subspecialty training
The areas in which the RCOphth has The COECSA fellowship exam has gone abroad – as my mind is refreshed and
supported the development of COECSA from strength to strength over the four ready to receive more knowledge.”
were identified during the VISION 2020 years it has been held. It is taken by
LINKS Needs Assessment process in 2007: ophthalmologists in addition to their own
1. Establish EACO as a regionally and training institution Master of Medicine
internationally recognised organisation
Development of an on-line
(MMed) degree. In 2014 it was held in
that coordinates, enables capacity Blantyre, Malawi. Twenty candidates took
curriculum
The RCOphth on-line curriculum [4] has
building and ensures quality in the exam and 13 passed.
provided the blueprint for COECSA to
ophthalmology in the region. The fellowship exam has attracted an
develop its own curriculum relevant for
2. Develop and administer an increasing number of candidates each
Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.
EACO fellowship programme year, thanks to the leadership shown by
The curriculum has 10 domains and 138
that is recognised regionally and Millicent Kariuki and her successor Muchai
learning outcomes, which will be assessed
internationally. Gachago. There is a growing pool of trained
eye news | APRIL/MAY 2015 | VOL 21 NO 6 | www.eyenews.uk.com
VISION 2020
from participating in a well-run and
scientifically excellent meeting. Examples
of improvements to practice pledged by
the COECSA participants following the
Congress were:
• avoiding medical errors as much as
possible
• comprehensive management of
patients from history-taking to
treatment
• gonioscopy for all glaucoma patients
• auditing clinical work.
Consity Mwale, who led the organisation
of the 2014 COECSA Conference in
Livingstone, Zambia, directly applied the
learning from attendance at the RCOphth
Congress and set up three committees
Participants in the COECSA curriculum meeting, Zambia 2014. to oversee organisation, planning and
management. These were: a finance
committee for planning, budgeting and
by workplace-based assessments. Training the Trainers (TTT) reporting to the Zambia Ophthalmological
However, the pressure of time, lack of Two successful courses have been run Society leadership; an administrative
educational supervisors and different by Melanie Corbett and Train the Trainer committee for participant communication
MMed courses in each of the universities faculty members from the RCOphth, the and information; and a scientific
across the eight countries makes this most recent being in Nairobi in November committee for the programme, scientific
exercise complicated and challenging. 2014. content and communication with the
The College Training Chair Fiona Spencer, Three COECSA participants from the Zambian Ministry of Health. The scientific
Susannah Grant and Fiona Bishop have 2013 course were invited back to join the committee also awarded participants with
worked closely with COECSA to progress faculty for the 2014 course. They each CPD points and certificates.
this work, which will come to fruition early selected a topic to deliver as a lecture,
in 2015. with an associated practical session. They
COECSA has also been working with were provided with slides to amend as Levi Kandeke, Ophthalmologist in
training institutions and Ministry of Health they wished, and a video of a RCOphth Burundi, who came to the RCOphth
officials (National Eye Care Coordinators) faculty member giving the same lecture. Congress in 2013, said: “If you are
across the region to harmonise both the Afterwards they received feedback from all by yourself in a small country like
MMed and mid-level training curricula. the participants and practical advice to aid Burundi you are isolated and you can
COECSA is increasingly seen as a unifying their future development. go downhill. Coming to the RCOphth
force and the custodian of academic and Feedback showed that the participants Congress gave me confidence and
professional standards in the region. found the experience exciting and credit when I got back home. I was
Moving forward, COECSA will begin challenging, and they felt they benefitted more interested to read more and
to evaluate and accredit training from a huge learning experience. The wanted to teach the young ones and
programmes, review the MMed and course extended their thinking because tell them what I had experienced.”
mid-level curricula and provide an end it “highlighted areas for development for
of training exam or recommendation of both trainer and trainee” and covered “new
the graduates to the national regulatory processes that they had not experienced as Leadership and mentoring
authority in ophthalmology in the region. students.”
The three COECSA faculty members felt
that, although they had learnt a lot from The importance of leadership
Anna Sanyiwa, Ophthalmologist at the two TTT courses they had attended, development in African health systems
MUHAS, Tanzania, who leads the it was too early for them to be entrusted is highlighted in a recent statement
COECSA curriculum committee, said: with running the course themselves. They from Margaret Mungherera, immediate
“The process has brought together
would need “more than one exposure to past president of the World Medical
COECSA countries and introduced Association: “The main reason for
the course” as a facilitator, and the support
harmony across the regional training Africa’s weak healthcare systems is
of a “forum to pass on the learning.”
institutions. We have confidence neither a shortage of policies, nor
They would then feel more comfortable
that the products of our training road maps, nor even funding. Lack
“facilitating in their own region” before
universities are of the same quality. As of leadership capacity, reflected
leading an international course.
it is a competency-based programme, in corruption and flawed policy
which it was not before, the quality of implementation, must be addressed.”
ophthalmology graduates is improving.
Exchange CPD visits and
The assessment is going to be much development of the COECSA
more objective. We are all learning Scientific Conference The College-to-College LINK has actively
Last year, nine COECSA delegates from addressed the need to enhance leadership
through the process and as we are the
eight countries attended the RCOphth and mentoring in the region. It worked
people who have made it, we have
ownership and want to use it.” Congress in Birmingham. The visit was a with the COECSA Young Ophthalmologists
great success and the delegates benefitted Forum to hold a two-day leadership course
eye news | APRIL/MAY 2015 | VOL 21 NO 6 | www.eyenews.uk.com
VISION 2020
in February 2014, facilitated by Clare
Inkster, Consultant Ophthalmologist in
Bolton and Amy Brockbank, Psychologist
and Mentoring Scheme Lead, North West
Deanery. They said: “The participants
demonstrated evidence of improved
leadership skills through working in teams
in theoretical and practical exercises, as
well as producing comprehensive country
development plans.”
Future plans
Both COECSA and the RCOphth plan for the
LINK to continue, so they can build on the
achievements of the past six years. Having
benefitted from support from the Health Participants in the COECSA Conference in Livingstone, Zambia, 2014.
Partnerships Scheme, managed by Tropical
Health & Education Trust (THET) and
funded by the Department for International
Reflections on the College-to-College Nyawira Mwangi, in her 2014 research
Development, further funding is needed for
LINK from COECSA: “Almost everything dissertation for the MSc in Public
mid-2015 onwards.
COECSA does is down to the RCOphth Health for Eye Care at the International
The LINK plans to concentrate on the areas
holding our hand and guiding us – Centre for Eye Health, London School of
where progress has been made but needs
before we do anything we ask – has Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, carried out
to be sustained: leadership, examinations,
RCOphth done this and who is there in an independent review and situational
curriculum, Training the Trainers and sharing
RCOphth who can help us? RCOphth has analysis of the COECSA-RCOphth VISION
learning through attendance at the RCOphth been our role model in so many things,” 2020 LINK with the title ‘International
and COECSA congresses. Grace Mwangi, COECSA Programme collaboration in eye care education’.
The key outcome is for COECSA to have Officer. She concluded that the VISION 2020
the capacity and ability to independently “RCOphth has held our hand from the LINK is an active, evolving and genuine
fulfill all the functions of a College itself, but outset in guiding us in harmonising link that does not just exist on paper;
maintain a sustainable LINK partnership with residency and specialisation has led to human resource capacity
the RCOphth to ensure continuing quality programmes. They have been key in building in low resource settings
through ongoing assessment, support and curriculum development across various and is a key theme in health system
collaboration. institutions who are then drawn into strengthening.
The VISION 2020 LINKS Programme this network. The fellowship exams are She pointed out some areas in which
relies entirely on grants and donations from well advanced in the region, thanks to further collaboration would be
non-government organisations (NGOs), RCOphth enabling the trainers. There beneficial, for example joint research
companies and individuals. Major support is a great desire to have a continued projects, subspecialty training within
for the Programme and for the LINKS is partnership.” the region, training for the editorial
received from Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Ibrahim Matende, COECSA President. team of the COECSA scientific
Department for International Development journal, mobilisation of resources and
(DFID) via THET, Scottish Government, appropriate technology, and sourcing
References
Standard Chartered Bank, the EyeBag equipment for eye care. She also
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are hugely grateful to our donors and partners links-programme/ Last accessed February 2015. LINKS that involve COECSA institutions
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for their support. To enable the College-to- Programme: raising standards in Eastern, Central and
College LINK to continue, funds are needed. Southern Africa. Eye News 2013;20(1):46-8. college LINK.
The VISION 2020 LINKS Programme has a 3. College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and
Southern Africa. www.coecsa.org Last accessed
‘JustGiving’ site, making individual giving easy February 2015.
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of more companies and organisations such Royal College of Ophthalmologists. http://curriculum.
rcophth.ac.uk/ Last accessed February 2015.
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more information please contact the VISION www.justgiving.com/v2020-links/ Last accessed
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Nick Astbury, Josiah Denise Marcia Zondervan,
Clinical Advisor, Onyango, Mabey, VISION 2020 Links
International Centre for Programme VISION 2020 LINK Programme Manager,
Eye Health (ICEH), Manager, Coordinator International Centre for
London School of COECSA. St Thomas’ Hospital; Eye Health, ICEH, LSHTM,
Hygiene & Tropical Keppel Street, London,
DR-NET.Comm, WC1E 7HT, UK.
Medicine (LSHTM).
ICEH, LSHTM.
E: marcia.zondervan@lshtm.ac.uk
www.iceh.org.uk
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