For every African child to have access to high quality healthcare that enables them to thrive and achieve their highest potential
Empowering African Children’s Hospitals for optimal child health outcomes.
“Across Africa we have over four hundred million children, and less than two dozen dedicated children's hospitals serving their needs and training Pediatric specialists. We intend to expand the capacity of these existing health facilities to meet these needs”
-Eme Essien Lore, Board Chair AfCHF
Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure gaps at Children’s hospitals can adversely affect patient care and limit the extent of training and breadth of learning for resident doctors and other trainees.
In addition to doctors and nurses there are several other types of allied healthcare professionals such as occupational, speech and respiratory therapists, technicians and patient care specialists needed to provide care in the ecosystem of a Children’s hospital. This would create opportunities for careers in children’s health and teach trainees how to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to provide holistic patient care. This is not possible in many parts of the continent, in part due to the infrastructure gaps that result in reduced input into patient care and the dearth of entire specialities in children’s healthcare on the African continent.
Clinical Training and Capacity Development
We support the clinical training of resident doctors, specialist paediatricians in training, specifically addressing the need for improved residents training conditions and working hours that allow for them to maintain a healthy work-life balance. We also look to ensure other clinicians who provide support to children are trained alongside them to ensure holistic team based support. The African Children’s Hospitals Foundation will support seminars, training opportunities, and facilitate exchange programs ensuring resident doctors and allied health professionals have access to literature and research and mentoring opportunities
Research Collaboration
We promote programs that support the development of Paediatric Clinician scientists and strengthen local capacity to engage in rigorous contextual research with links to policy and subsequent translation into clinical practice
Coordination and Integration
Children’s tertiary healthcare services are encouraged to be provided as comprehensively as possible in one location supporting the co-location of services and the holistic training of providers. Importantly, co-locating surgical and medical specialities shortens time to services, improves outcomes and fosters patient centered care. This also involves integrating Children’s Hospitals into the broader healthcare system vertically and horizontally by establishing appropriate healthcare referral linkages and health financing programs.
Advocacy
Through Partnerships with existing child and adolescent health focused organisations, we will in collaboration with our focus Children’s Hospitals, develop quality of care standards for children and adolescents healthcare. We will also attract increased attention to the role of Children’s Hospitals in pediatric care increasing networking and collaboration across Children’s Hospitals, in turn increasing the advocacy for Paediatric trainees; Through these, we will advance Child Health as a critical development issue in Africa requiring a coordinated and collaborative approach to improvement.
Photo by Trevor Cole on Unsplash
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
odoherty@afchf.org
Phone
+234 (906) 500-0500