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COVID-19 Healthcare E-Learning Platform (CoHELP)

The COVID-19 Healthcare E-Learning Platform, CoHELP, is an online training portal providing clinical and management staff essential knowledge needed to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The program, covering a range of topics related to COVID-19, includes interactive learning packages, live and recorded seminars, additional resources and discussion forums with local and international experts.

Evaluation of CoHELP in 2020

The COVID-19 Healthcare E-Learning Platform, CoHELP, is an online training portal providing clinical and management staff essential knowledge needed to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The program, covering a range of topics related to COVID-19, includes interactive learning packages, live and recorded seminars, additional resources and discussion forums with local and international experts.

The first two rounds of training in 2020 attracted 364 participants from PNG, with at least one person from each of its 22 provinces.

Evaluation from a sample of PNG participants showed positive feedback in the suitability and quality of the CoHELP modules and changes in knowledge and skills:

  • More than half (58 per cent) found the online package easy or somewhat easy to use.
  • Nearly 9 in 10 participants found the course somewhat or very relevant to their current role.
  • Over 90 per cent would recommend the training program and found it informative, and useful. They liked that the program covered important topics and helped develop knowledge and skills.
  • Respondents also noted how participating in the online training changed their clinical practice – for example, maintaining infection prevention and control measures and adapting to new challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • All respondents felt they were prepared to manage a patient with COVID-19 after completing the training program.
  • Respondents applied the knowledge and skills gained from CoHELP in training other health workers and providing COVID-19 education to patients and other community members.

Self-reported benefits to participants included flexible timing, a choice of which modules to complete, the availability of additional online resources, and meeting PNG and international experts in various fields related to COVID-19.

Burnet Institute is one of CoHELP’s Implementation partners along with the PNG National Department of Health, the WHO Representative Office for PNG, and Johnstaff International Development (JID). It is funded by the Australian Government as part of the PNG-Australia Partnership for Development.

Technical input was provided by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM), the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS), the Australian Paediatric Society (APS), the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM), and staff from Port Moresby General Hospital and the PNG Institute of Medical Research. 

Dani.Lin

Doctor Dani Lin

Contact Doctor Dani Lin for more information about this project. 

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Funding
Partners

  • Supported by the Australian Government

Partners +
Collaborators

  • Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)