E-learning could help improve healthcare systems across Africa by improving access to high quality learning materials to students in universities, colleges and other educational institutions across the continent.
Already, the German pharmaceutical and chemical company Merck has begun giving students at the University of Nairobi access to its European Accredited Clinical Diabetes Management course through e-learning technologies. The company will extend access to students in Uganda and Namibia.
A Portuguese version of the course will be offered later this month to students in Angola, while those in Tanzania will be access the course in November. A dedicated website for the lectures is already online, enabling healthcare providers in Africa to register and view the materials.
Dr Stefan Oschmann, Merck Pharma CEO, said: ” Merck is supporting E- Health which can definitely contribute to bringing healthcare to unserved or underserved populations; increasing the effectiveness and reducing the costs of healthcare delivery; improving the effectiveness of public health programmes and research; preventing illness and managing and treating chronic diseases.”
The innovative use of offering learning materials online shows the promise of using technology to help improve access to learning in areas which might not be able to reach it by more conventional means.
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