Scoping of pharmacists’ health leadership training needs for effective antimicrobial stewardship in Africa

Southern Med Review

article

Ikhile, Ifunanya¹  Gülpınar, Gizem¹  Iqbal, Ayesha¹  Kamere, Nduta¹  Ward, Beth¹  Halai, Manjula¹  Chan, Amy Hai Yan¹  Muringu, Eric¹  Munkombwe, Derick¹  Lawal, Mashood¹  Nambatya, Winnie¹  Esseku, Yvonne¹  Kaminyoghe, Felix¹  Barlatt, Shuwary¹  Muro, Eva¹  Savieli, Chikondi¹  Ashiru-Oredope, Diane¹  Rutter, Victoria¹ 

[1] Commonwealth Pharmacists Association;School of Medicine, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham;Department of Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University;Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham;Office of Lifelong Learning and the Physician Learning Program, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta;Projects Department, Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya;Pharmacy Department, University of Zambia;Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria;Pharmacy Department, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University;Ghana College of Pharmacists;Pharmaceutical Society of Malawi;Drug Information Services and Quality Assurance Unit, Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services;Department of Pharmacology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University

关键词: Antimicrobial resistance;    Antimicrobial stewardship;    Commonwealth pharmacists Association;    Health leadership;    Pharmacists;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40545-023-00543-2

学科分类：药理学

来源: BioMed Central

【 摘 要 】

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health concern currently mitigated by antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Pharmacists are strategically placed to lead AMS actions that contribute to responsible use of antimicrobials; however, this is undermined by an acknowledged health leadership skills deficit. Learning from the UK’s Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Global Health (ChPOGH) Fellowship programme, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is focused to develop a health leadership training program for pharmacists in eight sub-Saharan African countries. This study thus explores need-based leadership training needs for pharmacists to provide effective AMS and inform the CPA’s development of a focused leadership training programme, the ‘Commonwealth Partnerships in AMS, Health Leadership Programme’ (CwPAMS/LP). A mixed methods approach was undertaken. Quantitative data were collected via a survey across 8 sub-Saharan African countries and descriptively analysed. Qualitative data were collected through 5 virtual focus group discussions, held between February and July 2021, involving stakeholder pharmacists from different sectors in the 8 countries and were analysed thematically. Data were triangulated to determine priority areas for the training programme. The quantitative phase produced 484 survey responses. Focus groups had 40 participants from the 8 countries. Data analysis revealed a clear need for a health leadership programme, with 61% of respondents finding previous leadership training programmes highly beneficial or beneficial. A proportion of survey participants (37%) and the focus groups highlighted poor access to leadership training opportunities in their countries. Clinical pharmacy (34%) and health leadership (31%) were ranked as the two highest priority areas for further training of pharmacists. Within these priority areas, strategic thinking (65%), clinical knowledge (57%), coaching and mentoring (51%), and project management (58%) were selected as the most important. The study highlights the training needs of pharmacists and priority focus areas for health leadership to advance AMS within the African context. Context-specific identification of priority areas supports a needs-based approach to programme development, maximising African pharmacists’ contribution to AMS for improved and sustainable patient outcomes. This study recommends incorporating conflict management, behaviour change techniques, and advocacy, amongst others, as areas of focus to train pharmacist leaders to contribute to AMS effectively.

【 授权许可】

Unknown