ISUOG Outreach for the third and final trip of Phase I in Port-au-Prince
Project Title: ISUOG Outreach training in ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology, Phase I Part 3
Location: St Damien Hospital, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Dates: 18-22 February 2013
Partners: NPH Italia - Fondazione Francesca Rava, St Damien’s Hospital, Operation Blessing International, Physicians For Peace, Médecins Sans Frontières, SMFM
ISUOG Trainers:
Dr. Lisbet Hanson (USA) - team Leader
Prof. Enrico Ferrazzi (Italy)
Prof. Jean-Claude Fouron (Canada/Haiti)
Prof. Andrea Paganelli (Italy)
Dr. Bettina Hollwitz (Germany)
Dr. Ellen Roets (Belgium)
Dr. Gitte Storup (Denmark)
Project purpose: To provide ultrasound training to local OB/GYN practitioners in Port-au-Prince with the intention that these trainees eventually become local trainers.
Project deliverables:
Goal: By the end of Phase I, trainees will be competent in ultrasound scanning techniques and conduct quality scans in line with basic training outreach templates (SO2).
Output: Training dedicated trainees in basic ultrasound in OB/GYN scanning and hone in on their skills by evaluating their progress and provide mentoring between programs.
Outcome: Trainees competent OB/GN ultrasound scanning will increase level of anomaly identification and aid in preventing preventable causes of maternal mortality locally.
Participants: 25 trainees: 14 Obstetricians (including 10 from St Damien’s and 4 from 2 local MSF hospitals), 4 Nurse Midwives, 4 Generalists, 1 Senior OBGYN, 3 Residents.
Training location: St. Damien Hospital, Port-au-Prince
Training summary:
Following the successful second training course which took place in January 2012, ISUOG returned to St Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince in February for one week of training. Feedback has been positive both from the team and from trainees. This site has been identified as the having relatively advanced knowledge and skill levels within the Outreach Program.
Following feedback from trainees, francophone volunteers were prioritised to be part of the training team, and as a result three new trainers were integrated into the project. The Rava Foundation has now built a guest house (Villa Francesca) as part of their various projects in and around St Damien. This has been a marked improvement from the previous military tents and cots.
The test results from the second level training in January 2012 showed relatively low levels of scores over 80% in both pre- and post-testing. Only 6, 4 and 5 people out of 27 scored 80% or higher in the post-tests for 1st trimester, 2nd and 3rd trimester, and gynecology, respectively. However, feedback from trainers is that the hands-on scanning is strong. Local contacts also claim that the scanning training has contributed to diagnoses of high risk conditions.
This was considered by the local site and project partners to be the third and final training course and as such no discussions for future courses have taken place. However, ISUOG will continue to request scanning feedback from the site.