Assessing the effectiveness and impact of innovative learning modalities and capacity strengthening approaches in fragile LMIC settings

Global health challenges in the Middle East and North Africa and across the Global South become even more complex in contexts of fragility. Healthcare providers are a cornerstone of the response to these challenges. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 and other goals related to health and well-being will not be possible without a competent and motivated health workforce that can provide quality access to health services for all.

The current health workforce shortage disproportionately affects women, children, and other groups in contexts of fragility. There is a pressing need to support innovative approaches to strengthening the health workforce in these contexts, and to strengthen how research is conducted and socialized to ensure successful local models and experiences are captured and shared widely.

This project aims to examine different approaches to strengthening the global health workforce by working with researchers and leaders in fragile contexts in the Middle East and North Africa. The project will explore how challenges such as the retention of qualified health workers, a dearth of localized training material for fragile contexts, poor incentive structures, and limited mentorship and career development opportunities are being addressed.

Innovative delivery models, locally driven content generation, and enhanced attention to gender equality and inclusion will be examined to understand how they influence the quality and retention of the health workforce in fragile settings.

Where relevant, the case study design will compare and contrast differences within and across cases at the individual, community, and systems level. The case studies will also apply a gendered lens to understand the power dynamics that may be at play and affecting the quality and retention of female health workers. Although research is based in the Middle East and North Africa, the study will be grounded in the broader needs of the Global South and its findings will be shared with regional and global audiences.

Expected outcomes from the project include improved knowledge about capacity building; approaches and models for fragile contexts in low and middle-income countries; increased access to localized, affordable, and quality health education among vulnerable communities; a strengthened community of practice with localized skills to meet existing global health challenges in these contexts; and an improved body of localized knowledge from humanitarian workers and other health workers.