COVID-19 vaccine introduction: Lessons learned from the first Inter-Country Peer Learning Collaborative

Join us for a quick recap in English of the COVID-19 Peer Hub's first Inter-Country Peer Learning Exchange between Alumni from Côte d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Charlotte Mbuh and Dr Palenfo Dramane, who are facilitating this Inter-Country Peer Learning Exchange, will share the first lessons learned from this exchange.

On Saturday, March 27, 2021, the COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub team from the Democratic Republic of Congo took the initiative to invite their colleagues from Côte d'Ivoire, asking the latter to share their experience in introducing the COVID-19 vaccine.

They are continuing their dialogue, and alumni from other countries are preparing similar exchanges.

We are pleased to welcome Dr Julie Jacobson to our 15-minute Global Health Symposium.

Julie Jacobson is a global health leader and physician with a life-long commitment to addressing complex public health problems with creative problem solving, innovation, and development of collaborative partnerships for delivering global results. Now a founding Partner of Bridges to Development, Julie has contributed to a new global recognition of the out-sized burden of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) on women in Africa and its overlap or increased risks related to HIV, HPV and STIs.

FGS has been described as the one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 56 million women and girls infected.

The suffering of women and girls due to FGS can be reduced and even avoided.

What is the "15-minute Global Health Symposium?" In today's world of knowledge abundance, we believe that the 60-minute presentation webinar is not only boring but also ineffective. Instead, in just 15 minutes, we strive to provide what you need to answer two questions: 1) Is this relevant to my work and my learning and 2) If it is, how can I learn more?

Learn more: https://www.learning.foundation/female-genital-schistosomiasis

Are you facing a learning, leadership, or impact challenge? Listen in on the Foundation’s first invitation-only Clubhouse chat.

Karen Watkins and I will be chatting about the Foundation’s unique approach to this tryptic of learning, leadership, and impact in the Digital Age. It will be informal in ways intended to provoke incidental learning. No stilted panel, rigid agenda, or dull slides. That’s a promise.

We will be sharing some of the insights we gained about resilience during the first year of COVID-19, learning from the Foundation’s immunization programme that connected thousands of health professionals during the early days of the pandemic.

And, most important, we are opening it up so that you can share your real-world challenges, successes, and lessons learned.

Learn more: https://www.learning.foundation/dialogue

It's D-Day!

Join us for the opening ceremony to get a full understanding of how Teach to Reach: Connect will work, meet the country teams, Teach to Reach Council members, and international partners involved.

Then, join Teach to Reach: Connect at any time during one of three one-hour sessions.

Networking Session 1: Introduction of COVID-19 vaccine.

Networking Session 2: How to improve immunization training.

Networking Session 3: Reaching ‘zero-dose’ children who have not received a dose.

Each session has a suggested theme, but you are free to discuss any issue related to your immunization work.

Learn more: https://www.learning.foundation/teachtoreach

Onboarding briefing: WHO Scholar Level 1 course on radiation risk communication to improve benefit-risk dialogue in paediatric imaging

Join course participants who are onboarding this week in the WHO Scholar Level 1 course on radiation risk communication to improve benefit-risk dialogue in paediatric imaging

This course is intended for health care providers (in-service) as well as medical and dental students (pre-service).

You are welcome to join this onboarding briefing, even if your application was not selected by WHO or you did not apply.

Learn more: https://www.learning.foundation/paediatric-radiation-risk-event

Learn about one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa

Are you aware of FGS, one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa?

The suffering of women and girls due to Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) can be reduced and even avoided.

Whether you are a health professional working in a schistosomiasis endemic country in sub-Saharan Africa or a global health professional concerned about women’s health, you can make a difference.

As part of the FGS Accelerated Scale Together (FAST) project, Bridges to Development, working in partnership with the Geneva Learning Foundation, invites applications for the Scholar Level 1 Workshop for Improved Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS).

Request the application via this link:

https://www.learning.foundation/female-genital-schistosomiasis

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 9 April 2021

Health professionals from Ghana and Madagascar are especially encouraged to apply. You do not need to have prior experience with FGS in order to participate in this workshop. Only selected applicants will receive a Letter of Acceptance by e-mail.

Please review the announcement carefully before you decide to apply

Update from The Geneva Learning Foundation: Immunization Agenda 2030, Teach to Reach: Connect, and COVID-19 vaccine introduction

Are you national or sub-national immunization staff?

Join Charlotte Mbuh and Reda Sadki on Friday for a 15-minute Lightning Chat to:

1) learn more about what the Immunization Agenda 2030 might mean for you

2) discover an amazing new way to connect with immunization colleagues from all over the world

3) hear about challenges being faced in the field of COVID-19 vaccine introduction – and how your colleagues are overcoming them

IMMUNIZATION AGENDA 2030

Immunization is one of the best health investments money can buy.

Yet despite tremendous progress, far too many people around the world – including nearly 20 million infants each year – have insufficient access to vaccines.

To address these challenges over the next decade, a new global vision and strategy titled ‘Immunization Agenda 2030: A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind (IA2030)’ has been endorsed by the World Health Assembly.

If you have not yet heard of Immunization Agenda 2030, you will soon.

On Monday, 8 March 2021, the world will be celebrating the International Women’s Day (IWD) under the theme: 'Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.'

For the first time, we are convening women who are leading the COVID-19 Peer Hub and the Teach to Reach global community for action, when the world's countries are introducing COVID-19 vaccine.

Join us to honor the women on the frontlines who continue to work tirelessly to maintain immunization services within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, support the vaccine rollout, and pursue efforts to reach the 20 million children who remain at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Special Event: Radiation risk communication to improve benefit-risk dialogue in paediatric imaging

Join Dr María del Rosario Perez from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr Don Frush from Image Gently to explore the issues covered in the WHO Scholar Level 1 course on radiation risk communication.

Participants in this Special Event organized by The Geneva Learning Foundation will receive the WHO guidance document “Communicating radiation risks in paediatric imaging: Information to support healthcare discussions about benefit and risk”.

Register here for the Special Event

https://www.learning.foundation/paediatric-radiation-risk-event

This Special Event is offered ahead of the World Health Organization's pilot Scholar Level 1 course on communicating radiation risks in paediatric imaging.

The course is primarily targeted at health-care providers who refer pediatric patients for radiological imaging OR who perform radiological imaging in paediatric patients.

Medical and dental school students, as well as those belonging to other academic and research institutions, may also apply.

Learn more about the course

https://www.learning.foundation/who-pediatric-radiation-communication

Join immunization staff from all over the world for a 15-minute launch event for the Teach to Reach global community of action.

1. Demonstration of the Teach to Reach global community of action and tutorial to access and use this brand-new digital community platform.

2. Presentation of the Certificates of Attendance for the Teach to Reach Accelerator Conference (26-28 January 2021). (Certificates wil be sent by e-mail after the launch event)

3. Share your feedback and ask your questions about the Teach to Reach programme.