Browsing by Author "Amde, Woldekidan"

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    Antimicrobial stewardship: Exploring knowledge and perceptions of antimicrobial resistance and prescribing practices of medical doctors operating in public health centres in Harare, Zimbabwe
    (University of the Western Cape, 2023) Mhangwa, Timothy; Amde, Woldekidan
    Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health concern. Antimicrobial stewardship offers possibilities for mitigating antimicrobial resistance through the implementation of multifaceted strategies. Aim: To explore the knowledge and perceptions of antimicrobial resistance and prescribing practices of medical doctors working at public health centres in Harare, Zimbabwe. Methodology: The study used a descriptive qualitative method. Twelve medical doctors working at the two central hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe, were selected purposively. Data was collected through semi-structured, face-to-face in-depth interviews to elicit a rich understanding of the phenomena. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was the method of choice used to analyse the data. Results: Data analysis produced four main themes which included, (i) knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship, (ii) perceptions on antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship, (iii) antimicrobial prescribing practices, and (iv) factors influencing antimicrobial stewardship. Participant medical doctors, despite being knowledgeable about and appreciative of antimicrobial stewardship and AMR, had varying degrees of adherence to prescribing guidelines.
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    Improving health professionals’ capacity to respond to the climate crisis in Africa: outcomes of the Africa climate and health responder course
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2025) Amde, Woldekidan; Magalhães, Danielly De Paiva; Sorensen, Cecilia
    Introduction: The fragile health systems in Africa worsen climate-related health impacts, making capacity building essential to strengthen adaptation and resilience. The Africa Climate and Health Responders Course was developed to address the urgent need for climate and health education among African health professionals. Organized by the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) in collaboration with ASPHA, Africa CDC, WHO AFRO, Project ECHO, and other regional partners, the course aimed to enhance awareness, communication skills, and preparedness in responding to climate-related health challenges. Methods: Delivered online via Zoom with over 11 sessions (September 17–October 22, 2024), the course featured expert lectures, case studies, and live discussions. Simultaneous interpretation in English, French, and Portuguese ensured broad accessibility. Participants who attended at least 70% of live sessions and passed the final exam received a certificate. A longitudinal survey was applied to understand the course impact. Results: The course attracted 7,572 registrants, with 89% from Africa. While 3,500 participants attended at least one session, only 1,657 participated (1,607 from Africa) attended 70% or more of the sessions and completed the final survey. Participants held positions in government (31%), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) (27%), academia (24%), private sector (11%), and others (7%). Their main professional backgrounds were public health (33.2%), medicine (16.3%), and environmental health (13.2%). The majority of participants (66%, n = 1,100) had never received prior training in climate and health; among them, 36% (n = 392) were students and 64% (n = 708) were not students. Discussion: The course significantly improved participants’ self-reported confidence and perceived preparedness, with increases in: climate-health awareness (+22%); confidence in risk communication (+40%); preparedness for adaptation and resilience (+36-37%), and professional responsibility in climate-health action (+21%). These findings highlight not only the feasibility and effectiveness of virtual training in this context, but also the opportunity for scaling such initiatives to build a climate-resilient health workforce across Africa. Skilled professionals are key to fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, integrating climate-health education, and engaging communities—efforts that require sustained investment in capacity building to institutionalize competencies and strengthen public health systems and policies over the long term.
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    Public health diplomacy: summary of the methods and outcome of the 1st University of Memphis School of Public Health Diplomacy Summit
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2025) Amde, Woldekidan; Joshi, Ashish; Magana, Laura
    Public health diplomacy addresses global challenges impacting societies, economies, the environment, and health by integrating foreign policy and development. The University of Memphis School of Public Health hosted a multistakeholder summit to identify strategies and competencies essential for effective public health diplomacy. A 3-day summit included 29 participants from 15 countries, representing the WHO, the World Federation of United Nations, and seven regional public health associations. An iterative human-centered design (HCD) approach and concept mapping were employed to facilitate discussions and generate actionable recommendations. Developed a working definition of Public Health Diplomacy emphasizing cross-disciplinary collaborations, communication, negotiation, and consensus building. Produced a 9-point action plan to establish a global framework, launch capacity-building initiatives, and institutionalize public health diplomacy as a public health discipline.
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    Transitioning health workers from PEPFAR contracts to the Uganda government payroll
    (Researchgate, 2021-07) Zakumumpa, Henry; Rujumba, Joseph; Amde, Woldekidan
    Although increasing public spending on health worker (HW) recruitments could reduce workforce shortages in sub-Saharan Africa, effective strategies for achieving this are still unclear. We aimed to understand the process of transitioning HWs from President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to Government of Uganda (GoU) payrolls and to explore the facilitators and barriers encountered in increasing domestic financial responsibility for absorbing this expanded workforce. We conducted a multiple case study of 10 (out of 87) districts in Uganda which received PEPFAR support between 2013 and 2015 to expand their health workforce. We purposively selected eight districts with the highest absorption rates (‘high absorbers’) and two with the lowest absorption rates (‘low absorbers’). A total of 66 interviews were conducted with high-level officials in three Ministries of Finance, Health and Public Service (n = 14), representatives of PEPFAR-implementing organizations (n = 16), district health teams (n = 15) and facility managers (n = 22). Twelve focus groups were conducted with 87 HWs absorbed on GoU payrolls. We utilized the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to guide thematic analysis. At the sub-national level, facilitators of transition in ‘high absorber’ districts were identified as the presence of transition ‘champions’, prioritizing HWs in district wage bill commitments, host facilities providing ‘bridge financing’ to transition workforce during salary delays and receiving donor technical support in district wage bill analysis—attributes that were absent in ‘low absorber’ districts. At the national level, multi-sectoral engagements (incorporating the influential Ministry of Finance), developing a joint transition road map, aligning with GoU salary scales and recruitment processes emerged as facilitators of the transition process. Our case studies offer implementation research lessons on effective donor transition and insights into pragmatic strategies for increasing public spending on expanding the health workforce in a low-income setting.