East African Development Bank’s Medical Training and Fellowship (METAF) programme final report: Capacity building for the provision of oncology and neurology services in East Africa

The METAF programme aimed to

• increase levels of awareness of cancer and neurological disorders among the medical officers at district and regional hospitals;
• increase early referrals and diagnosis of cancer patients and patients with neurological disorders;
• empower medical officers at district and regional hospitals to deliver care and manage patients with neurological disorders and urgent symptoms of cancer and;
• develop networks and linkages for cancer care among different strata of health care workers in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda.

‘It is a rewarding experience as it offered me the opportunity to share my knowledge of and skills in management of neurological diseases with younger colleagues, serving as a role model in neuroscience. I benefited from the practical mentoring activities which played out during the informal sessions – advising and counselling trainees on opportunities in neurology. Also, this training afforded me opportunity to establish professional collaboration and friendship with the local faculty and trainees’

Professor Olubunmi Ogunrin, RCP volunteer

Key outcomes

Since the launch of the programme in 2016,

• 27 clinical training activities have been delivered across East Africa including;
  • 5 oncology ToT workshops
  • 12 oncology cascaded training course
  • 10 neurology clinical training courses

• 550 doctors from 4 countries across East Africa upskilled in the diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer and neurological disorders
• 58 oncology ‘trainers’ upskilled to teach and share experience with other health workers at lower health facilities
• Over 5,000 healthcare professionals estimated to have benefited from the trainings through mentoring by course participants at home facilities
• Multiple networks of doctors established to strengthen the referral pathways and peer support