Kintambo General Hospital’s Model Training Center

The center is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and serves as a model for improving maternal and newborn health care. In the DRC, one quarter of under-five mortality occurs within the first four weeks of life, with high national maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates. These statistics underscore the need for improved quality and coverage of care at birth. Poor quality pre-service education and limited opportunities to practice new skills are underlying causes of weak health worker competencies. To address this issue, USAID's Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) has worked in the DRC since 2015 to improve maternal and newborn survival through quality in-service training and pre-service education. MCSP's approach to human capacity development focuses on developing individual health worker knowledge and skills through experience and practice, as well as improving the processes and performance of individuals and teams. In February 2018, MCSP began activities to establish a model training center at Kintambo General Hospital in Kinshasa, the capital city of the DRC. The center is managed by a committee of hospital staff and representatives of the DRC's Ministry of Health (MOH), with technical support from MCSP. The committee is responsible for the cost and management of the MTC, which supports the MOH in building and strengthening the technical capacity of healthcare providers, trainees, and students. The MTC was established in a refurbished training room at the Maternity Department of Kintambo General Hospital. The room is equipped with training aids, a projector and screen, and training equipment, including model simulators. The simulators allow for realistic simulation of birth scenarios, intrauterine device insertions, and newborn care. The training rooms provide a space where providers and trainees can continuously practice their skills. In 2017, MCSP conducted an in-depth assessment of Kintambo General Hospital's maternity, pediatric, and FP services. The assessment identified the hospital as the best option for the MTC due to its high overall score, adequate number and mix of clients, and good condition of its infrastructure. The assessment also prompted the design of an action plan for carrying out onsite competency-based training and capacity building for the MTC providers. The plan included benchmarks for maintaining high-quality services and a protocol specifying performance standards for MCSP, the MTC, and the MOH. MCSP rehabilitated and equipped the MTC's maternity, pediatric, and FP clinics according to the rehabilitation plan. The center was fully operational by June 2018, with the training space already in use by the hospital providers and trainees. In July 2018, MCSP developed an additional action plan detailing the rehabilitation, staff training, and operationalization of Kintambo's new Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) unit. The unit was fully refurbished and equipped by February 2019 with beds, dividers, a refrigerator, kitchen facilities, a living room area, and a television for the mothers' comfort and education. Training and clinical mentoring are key components of the MTC's activities. In 2017, MCSP invited MOH representatives, members of Congolese professional associations, and other stakeholders to participate in the adaptation of an integrated training package targeting the mother-baby dyad on the day of birth and during the immediate postnatal period. The package focuses on maternal and newborn health and post-partum family planning and includes elements of the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) Helping Babies Survive learning suite. By September 2018, MCSP had trained 53 of Kintambo's healthcare providers on the integrated package at the MTC.