Massive open online courses (MOOC) for continuing education for Public Health professionals during COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Branly Mbunga1, Desire Mashinda1, Garyn Debondt,2, Mamana Mbiyavanga1, Eric Mukomena, Hornel Lama4, Jimmy Anzolo2
, Henry Ntuku1,2, Jicko Bondole2, Jeanne Mundela2, Aruna Abedi5, Edna Harimenshi2, Trad Hatton2, Hana Bilak2

1 Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, DRC
2 PATH-Organization, DRC
3 National Program for Malaria Control, Ministry of Health, DRC
4 Bluesquare Organization, DRC
5 Epidemiological surveillance Division, Disease control direction, Ministry of Health, DRC

Introduction

Continuing education (CE) for health professionals is crucial for improving quality and competence-based performance in health care delivery and disease surveillance.

The DRC Health System encompasses, more than 20,000 health professionals spread across the 26 health districts and 516 Health zones.

The COVID-19 crisis and its related restrictive measures has put serious constraints on the traditional face to face training of the health professionals.

There was raising need for rapid training on COVID-19 Surveillance and the surveillance of other important diseases under control

MOOC which is a suitable type of online training for massive employees at their workplace had never been developed and used before

The Kinshasa school of public health (KSPH), in partnership with PATH and the ministry of health (MOH) tested for the first time two locallydesigned Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to train DRC public health professionals across the country.