Ensuring Continuity of Health Professions Training Amid a Global Pandemic: Lessons from the Uganda Safe Schools Initiative

Abstract

Uganda experienced 2 COVID-19 waves that challenged health professional education. All health professions training institutions (HPTIs) in Uganda closed in March 2020. Cognizant of the threat to quality education and the frontline workforce, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and Seed Global Health partnered to examine the risks and benefits of HPTI reopening through the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI). This article described the processes to unify stakeholders in health professions education and the outcomes from these discussions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. During the first COVID-19 wave, the SSI conducted consultative meetings with key stakeholders. The SSI developed guidelines around student welfare and issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for HPTI reopening. The NCHE recommended in-person learning for final-year students and online learning for junior years, resulting in HPTIs being the first academic institutions to reopen in the country. During the second COVID-19 wave, schools closed again. The SSI utilized recently published literature and quantitative data to inform decision making in addition to expert consensus. The NCHE recommended immediate phased reopening for students in clinical years, blended learning for nonclinical years, and prioritizing health professions education in future lockdowns. Consequently, HPTIs reopened within a month of closure. The SSI demonstrated that national advocacy for health professions education can be effective when engaging stakeholders to build consensus around difficult decisions. Key lessons learned from the SSI include the following: (1) collaborating across sectors in health professions education can amplify change, (2) occupational health guidelines must include health professions students, (3) investing in online education and simulation has value in outbreak-prone areas, and (4) systemic inequities in health professions education will require persistence and advocacy to correct. Future pandemic preparedness must prioritize HPTIs to ensure quality education and continuity of a frontline workforce.