WHO free e-learning platform OpenWHO - CC WHO website
CAIRO - 13 August 2017: The World Health Organization (WHO), launched in August a new free e-learning platform titled ‘
.’ The platform targets users interested in learning about outbreaks and emergencies.
The WHO's e-learning platform, is an interactive, web-based, knowledge-transfer platform that includes video courses to improve response to health emergencies including epidemics and pandemics. Furthermore, the platform serves as a forum for fast sharing of public health expertise and in-depth discussion and feedback on key health issues.
It aims to introduce information in a user-friendly format and to transform complex scientific knowledge into easy-to-understand introductory lessons, using a smaller bandwidth so that interested people in any country can access them. Furthermore, the WHO made offline versions available for iOS and Android devices.
On its official website, the WHO says that OpenWHO, "enables the organization and its key partners to transfer life-saving knowledge to large numbers of frontline responders."
The platform is managed by WHO’s Department for Infectious Hazards Management, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Offered courses include:
Communication Essentials for Member States: A five-hour course on communication essentials in public health for Member States aiming to provide knowledge and tools to communicate effectively during disease outbreaks and health emergencies. The course is approximately five hours.
Incident Management System: A three-hour course that aims to enhance WHO Emergency Program (WHE) response capability, through a series of training packages to build staff competencies, skills and knowledge, to enhance deployment and emergency response capability.
Introduction to MERS: A four-hour course on Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). MERS is a severe lung infection posing a global threat to human health. The course aims to explain the nature of MERS and the ways to prevent, respond to, and control outbreaks of MERS. The course is intended for incident managers and personnel working for the UN, international organizations and NGOs.
Pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases: A six-hour course on modern human life trends that contribute to epidemics growth. These trends include travel and trade, rapid urbanization, limited access to health care as well as environmental degradation. In addition, the course discusses response to infectious hazards.
Ebola pre-deployment training ‘GO:’ A four-hour course on responding to Ebola outbreaks. The course provides basic knowledge and skills to reduce the risk of infection.
Future course:
Introduction to Zika virus disease: This course aims to provide knowledge to communicate effectively about Zika virus. Zika virus disease is a mosquito-borne illness that can cause severe birth defects in babies and neurological complications in adults.
Pandemic risk communication: This course aims to disseminate knowledge on the pandemic influenza risk and global communication to respond to pandemic influenza.
Introduction to pandemic influenza: This course introduces knowledge and information on activities and interventions related to pandemic flu. It consists of two modules to prepare countries and individuals to engage in pandemic influenza preparedness and response to mitigate social and economic risks of influenza pandemic.
The WHO is a specialized agency of the UN concerned with international public health; the organization was established in 1948. It is mandated to assist governments in strengthening health services, to establish and maintain administrative and technical services, and respond to epidemiological diseases. Moreover, the organization is responsible for preparing the World Health Report, the worldwide World Health survey, and the World Health Day.
Comments
Leave a Comment