In this paper we will present results of an experimental Distance Education Program in Administration and Management of Reproductive Health Services that was developed by the Population Council’s Guatemala Office in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Guatemala and the School of Medicine of San Carlos University. The program is directed to doctors and nurses who are Heads of Health Districts, and its main purpose is to improve reproductive health services provided at the secondary level of attention, which includes Health Centers and Posts. The relevance of this program is that, in January 2001, the Ministry of Health of Guatemala released the first-time ever National Reproductive Health Program. Through this cost-effective mechanism, the Ministry of Health, will have available a tested training program to implement activities proposed in the Reproductive Health Program. Topics included in the first phase of this experimental program are: (1) Basic reproductive health messages, (2) How to organize the current health services to provide comprehensive reproductive health care, (3) How to provide integrated and comprehensive reproductive health services and (4) How to satisfy women’s family planning needs. Each one-month lesson or unit includes four components: (1) required reading, (2) learning test, (3) activities to be conducted in-service during the following month, (4) evaluation of progress made. The presentation will show the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the program to: (1) improve knowledge of reproductive health service provision among service providers, and (2) improve reproductive health service provision practices.
Learning Objectives: Explain use of alternative educational technologies to improve reproductive health service provision. Describe how distance education may be used to improve reproductive health services
Keywords: Reproductive Health, Training
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.