A training and education strategy for setting up Pulmonary Rehabilitation services in Uganda

Clinical Research Results Abstract Research Idea Abstract Service Development & Evaluation Abstract Aim: To develop a training and education strategy for delivering comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) training for Physiotherapists in Uganda.Outline of context: Despite being an evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatment that improves quality of life for people living with chronic respiratory diseases[1], PR remains largely unavailable across Africa[2]. Limiting factors include lack of health care worker (HCW) knowledge, training and limited resources[3]. In Uganda, PR is delivered by Physiotherapists. Therefore, equipping Physiotherapists with skills of setting up low-cost PR within public hospitals is key to the development and implementation of an appropriate national PR service.Brief description of the intervention: The RECHARGE-IPCRG Teach-the-Teacher (TtT) course was conducted in September-October 2021 for the team that will be training physiotherapists about PR in Uganda. The course aimed to develop educational capability for HCW educators.Strategy for change: The training strategy included development of a training standard operating procedure (SOP), ensuring the trainers have education capability through TtT, hybrid teaching methods, adapting the British Thoracic Society fundamentals course and identifying physiotherapists suitable for the PR training. Training and equipping physiotherapists across Uganda with skills of setting up PR within existing public health facilities was identified as key in developing an appropriate national PR service.Progress: Two educators with > 8 years’ experience in delivering PR attended the course. A total of 76 Physiotherapists from 34 public hospitals across Uganda will attend PR fundamentals training. The PR training SOP is drafted and planned to be delivered using a hybrid approach due to the pandemic. Lessons learnt: The TtT course helped educators to reflect on the different modes of training and pedagogical techniques relevant to delivering the planned training, and identifying stakeholders needed during the scale-up phase.Message for others: Training and education are critical for establishing and scaling up PR services. Declaration of Interest The Global RECHARGE research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (17/63/20) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK Department of Health and Social Care. References and Clinical Trial Registry Information 1. Nici, L. et al 2006. European Respiratory Journal, 28(3), pp.461-462.2. Bickton, F.M et al 2020. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 24(10), pp.991-999.3. Bickton, F.M et al 2022. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 17, p.141.