The training started on December 7, 2021, at the Drobo StMary'ss Hospital, followed by Tain District hospital, Wenchi Government Hospital, and finally, on December 14, 2021, at the Kwatire District Hospital. Across all Hospitals, the facilitating team prior to the training sessions engaged with the hospital management to inform them of the motive of the training as earlier communicated. Again, debriefing meetings were also held with management to solicit their support for implementing post-training action plans in the respective facilities. To a very large extent, participants were cooperative and excited about the opportunity to be trained in cardiovascular and diabetes care. Except for Drobo and Tain District hospitals, Wenchi and Kwatire had the opportunity for pre and post-training assessments. In all the hospitals, action plans were developed according to pre-determined criteria for improving diabetes and cardiovascular disease management.
Key thematic Areas of training:
I. Team-based approach to the management of hypertension and diabetes in LMICs.
II. The burden, aetiology, risk factors, pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to management of hypertension.
III. The burden, aetiology, risk factors, pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to the management of diabetes.
IV. Nutritional approaches to the management of hypertension and diabetes.
V. Cardiovascular risk assessment using the WHO Cardiovascular Risk Assessment tool
There were practical sessions on conducting a risk assessment for patients using the WHO Afro D cardiovascular Risk assessment tool. Through a series of cases presented by the facilitators, participants practised risk assessment using the tool presented. After this session, participants were assigned into groups to work on action plans and present to the whole group. Facilitators support the participants to design and agree on an effective action plan informed by the needs of the respective hospitals. Following the training, a WhatsApp group was created to include all participants from the four hospitals. This has improved communication between the facilitators and the participants, offered the platform for mentorships, practical guidance on implementing action plans, and sharing of best practices among participants. These activities followed the same trend in all the hospitals where the training was conducted.