DAP 2014 PP – MNCH

Desired Applicant Profile – Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health
Target group	You are a national of an eligible country. You are currently employed as a practising doctor, nurse or midwife or trainer in the field of maternal, neonatal and child health. You are currently employed for clinical practice or training with clinical practical components in a hospital, rural clinic, training institution or civil society organisation, including faith-based organisations. You have a clear vision of how you will use the knowledge and skills gained through the Short Course to improve maternal and/or infant mortality and morbidity rates in your home country.
Eligibility	You must meet the age restriction requirements for your country. You must meet the work experience requirements for your country. You must be willing to make a formal commitment to return to your current employment following completion of the Short Course. As this course will be delivered in English, an appropriate level of language proficiency is required, such that Awardees will be able to participate fully and benefit from the course. You must meet the general minimum eligibility criteria outlined below. Female candidates and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.
Countries	Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.
Participants	A total of 20 candidates will be selected, of which 75% of the Fellowships will be awarded to women.
Support service options	Special needs assistance as deemed appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
General eligibility criteria for Africa Fellowship applicants
To be eligible for an Africa Fellowship, applicants must:	have citizenship of and  currently be living in the country of your nationality; not be married to/or be a de facto of, or engaged to be married to a person who holds or is eligible to hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent resident status; satisfy any specific criteria established by the applicant’s country and/or government of citizenship; satisfy all requirements of the Department of Immigration Border Protection (DIBP) for a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) student visa; satisfy any specific admission requirements of the institution at which the Short Course is to be undertaken; and hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Applicants must inform the Australian Government of any connection or relationship to staff employed by the Australian Government or with the managing contractor at the time of application.

Course details

Public health and epidemiology – public health approaches to maternal and neonatal health, measuring maternal, infant and child mortality and morbidity, and risk factors, indicators and measurement for the planning, monitoring and evaluation of maternal and neonatal health programs Health systems – building blocks, overarching tools for implementation, quality improvement and tools, including clinical audit, health protocol development, mother- and baby-friendly hospitals and infection control Special programs – the role of men as partners in sexual, reproductive health and childbirth, engagement with adolescents, sexual reproductive health and teenage pregnancy, substance abuse: alcohol, marijuana, other, child abuse, adoption, orphans, unintended/unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion, age and parity, social problems for women, infants, families and communities, and urban migration Health promotion and advocacy – principles of health promotion, gathering information for health promotion development and targeted health promotion, community action and participation, approaches to raising awareness with mothers on the importance of nutrition, sexual behaviour and infections Research and evidence – use of evidence in health programs and research methods, participatory action research, ethics, funding sources, developing management, audit and activity plans Newborn and neonatal care – newborns, immediate management of newborns, including premature babies (warmth, nutrition, infection prevention, assessment, kangaroo care), neonates, clinical approaches to common neonatal problems and prevention, community-based neonatal care, neonatology practical sessions, nutrition and fluid management, training in commonly used equipment in newborn and neonatal care Maternal health: clinical updates and upskilling, gender and reproductive health, concepts and tools for gender analysis, gender-based inequality, mainstreaming gender equality in institutions, linking gender and health, teaching techniques, identification of antenatal conditions that predispose to complications, relationship between maternal health, pregnancy, childbirth and infant outcomes, maternal and neonatal risk and management, clinical approaches to common maternal problems, prevention and management of common obstetric emergencies, PPH, eclampsia, sepsis, abortion, management of women during labour and delivery, HIV and STI management, point of care testing, PMTCT, management of the HIV-positive pregnant woman and HIV-positive infant

Note:

• The course is anticipated to run for five weeks.
• Africa Fellowships will be delivered between July 2014 and March 2015.
• Africa Fellowships are an intensive learning experience.