OBJECTIVE: To establish a mechanism for ensuring and regulating quality of pre-service midwifery education in Afghanistan during a period of intense expansion. STUDY DESIGN: Case study of public health practice in health workforce development. METHODS: Afghanistan's high maternal mortality is due, in part, to a lack of competent skilled midwives. In post-conflict Afghanistan, 21 midwifery schools were re-opened or established between 2003 and 2007 in an atmosphere without proper regulatory mechanisms for ensuring educational quality. A national accreditation programme for midwifery education was developed with the following components: an appropriate policy foundation; educational standards and tools to assess achievement of these standards; technical support to programmes to identify gaps and solve problems; and a system of official recognition. RESULTS: All midwifery schools were mandated to achieve accreditation. Nineteen schools had been accredited by early 2007, with an average achievement of 91% of the agreed and mandated national standards for running a midwifery school. One school has been closed by the National Midwifery Education Accreditation Board due to inability to achieve the standards. CONCLUSION: Establishment of a national mechanism to accredit midwifery schools and ensure quality education can be achieved during a period of rapid expansion.
OBJECTIVE: To establish a mechanism for ensuring and regulating quality of pre-service midwifery education in Afghanistan during a period of intense expansion. STUDY DESIGN: Case study of public health practice in health workforce development. METHODS: Afghanistan's high maternal mortality is due, in part, to a lack of competent skilled midwives. In post-conflict Afghanistan, 21 midwifery schools were re-opened or established between 2003 and 2007 in an atmosphere without proper regulatory mechanisms for ensuring educational quality. A national accreditation programme for midwifery education was developed with the following components: an appropriate policy foundation; educational standards and tools to assess achievement of these standards; technical support to programmes to identify gaps and solve problems; and a system of official recognition. RESULTS: All midwifery schools were mandated to achieve accreditation. Nineteen schools had been accredited by early 2007, with an average achievement of 91% of the agreed and mandated national standards for running a midwifery school. One school has been closed by the National Midwifery Education Accreditation Board due to inability to achieve the standards. CONCLUSION: Establishment of a national mechanism to accredit midwifery schools and ensure quality education can be achieved during a period of rapid expansion.
Authors: Linda Fogarty; Young Mi Kim; Hee-Soon Juon; Hannah Tappis; Jin Won Noh; Partamin Zainullah; Aleisha Rozario Journal: Hum Resour Health Date: 2014-02-17
Authors: Elizabeth M Speakman; Ahmad Shafi; Egbert Sondorp; Nooria Atta; Natasha Howard Journal: BMC Womens Health Date: 2014-09-15 Impact factor: 2.809