CONTINUING EDUCATION EXPERIENCES AND INTERESTS OF HEALTH STAFF IN IFELOJU AND IBARAPA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, OYO STATE

Abstract

Continuing education (CE) is an important component of staff development for health workers and ensures that quality services are delivered to consumers. This has been viewed by some authors as a way of eliminating "continuing ignorance" which is endemic among many rural health workers who lack contact with outside resources and more highly trained professionals. The Ibarapa District of Oyo State, Nigeria, is currently divided into ifeloju and lbarapa Local Government Areas (LGAs). A variety of government (local, state and federal) and private health services and programmes are available in the area. This study is an exploratory descriptive survey that aimed at identifying previous continuing education experiences of health staff in the two LGAs as well as their interests in further learning. All available health workers (144) in nine private clinics, two state general hospitals, two local government health offices, eleven LGA clinics and the University of Ibadan's Ibarapa Community Health Programme were interviewed. Four types of continuing education experiments were investigated, attendance at courses and workshops, learning from supervisors, staff meeting, and personal learning through reading. An in-service course or workshop was attended by only 39% of health workers in the past five years. University and local government staff had more opportunity for CE programmes. Persons working in the private sector were the least likely to have attended a course or workshop, as were staff who lacked a basic health qualification. Most (68%) had received a visit from their supervisor in the past six months but in only 30% of these visits was anything done to update the health worker's knowledge and skill. Also 72% reported having attended a staff meeting in the past six months, but only 26% said that they learned new ideas at these sessions. Reading of professional texts, journals and references was reported by 58%. Staff without health qualification were least likely to have done any reading. All but 12 respondents expressed a clear desire to participate in in-service training programmes. The desire for continuing education, especially in-service training opportunities, is not matched by actual experience of LGA health staff. More short courses could be organized at the local level by institutions such as the University of Ibadan, to stimulate staff interest in their work and upgrade their skills. Better advantage could also be taken of the learning potential of staff meetings and supervisory visits. Formation of a training committee comprising all the sectors should be charged with the responsibility of developing a yearly timetable for CE for all health staff in each LGA.