Auteur/autrice : TimesNews2

« La pratique du numérique en milieu hospitalier camerounais : un levier de performance du système de santé » C’est le nom de l’ouvrage qui sera officiellement présenté dans les tous prochains jours à Yaoundé, capitale du Cameroun par son auteur le Dr. Denis Ngae. L’ouvrage du Dr. Denis Ngae qui est intitulé : « La pratique du numérique en milieu hospitalier camerounais : un levier de performance du système de santé », est une compilation de 214 pages publiée le 20 septembre 2022 par l’Harmattan en France. Ce travail de longue haleine préfacé par le Ministre de la sante publique, Dr Manaouda Malachie et dont l’Avant-propos a été rédigé par Pr. Vincent de Paul Djentcheu, Directeur Général de l’hôpital générale de Yaoundé, apparait comme une solution palliative aux différents maux qui minent le milieu hospitalier au Cameroun en vue de l’adoption des technologies numériques par nos hôpitaux. Grace à son expertise dans les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC), Dr. Denis Ngae veut apporter sa pierre à l’édification du système de santé publique dans son pays natal. Selon lui l’intégration des TIC dans les pratiques en milieu hospitalier camerounais connaît une résistance et un manque d’engouement de la part des utilisateurs, hors, si celle-ci est mise en exergue, elle va améliorer la qualité et l’efficacité des soins de santé Dr. Denis Ngae, dans sa quatrième découverture, qui est le volet explicatif de son travail de recherche, démontre quelles sont les entraves qui affectent le milieu hospitalier camerounais du fait de la négligence des TIC et par ailleurs, démontre que les TIC sont un outil de développement économique de nos jours dans nos sociétés. Il indique ceci : « L’analyse de l’introduction du numérique en santé au Cameroun a permis de comprendre que les hôpitaux camerounais et leur personnel ne semblaient pas encore prêts à l’arrivée de ces technologies. Cette situation peut s’expliquer par l’absence d’une stratégie TIC dans les hôpitaux et par l’insuffisance de ressources financières et technologiques. Bien plus, le niveau de pertinence de l’appropriation des TIC dans les structures hospitalières au Cameroun est très moyen, voire faible, au regard des attentes du gouvernement, des utilisateurs et des usagers. Cette faiblesse est à l’origine du manque de coordination, de la fragmentation des initiatives, avec pour corolaire, l’inadéquation entre les objectifs poursuivis et les priorités du système de santé, mais aussi la réticence du personnel hospitalier à utiliser ces technologies. » Dr. Ngae souligne le fait que ce sont les ressources humaines qui ont été identifiées comme l’épine dorsale d’une organisation dans le processus d’adoption des TIC, et cela nécessite le développement des stratégies de gestion adéquate pour espérer obtenir des performances substantielles. Selon lui, « les organisations hospitalières qui ont obtenu des gains substantiels après adoption des TIC, ont investi au préalable sur le capital humain, en permettant à son personnel de disposer des compétences ou de capacités technologiques suffisantes. En outre, le potentiel des technologies de santé numérique dans l’amélioration de la performance hospitalière est perceptible. Néanmoins, l’impact présagé sur la performance hospitalière dépend, avant tout, du niveau d’appropriation de ces technologies par le personnel hospitalier. Ainsi, une bonne appropriation des TIC améliorait l’efficacité opérationnelle des hôpitaux camerounais, la qualité clinique des prestations de santé. Aussi, renforcerait-elle la satisfaction des patients en favorisant l’engagement et l’engouement du personnel hospitalier. Enfin, les cas d’échecs et d’abandons des projets TIC en santé ainsi que les défis identifiés pourraient être évités en examinant, au préalable, la préparation des hôpitaux à accueillir ces technologies. » Qui est Dr. Ngae ? Dr. Denis Ngae est membre de la Société camerounaise d’Informatique Médicale. Il est enseignant d’informatique médicale et chercheur au Centre de Recherches d’études diplomatiques internationales et stratégiques et à Savoirs & Développement. Il suit actuellement le Programme de Leadership Appliqué en Santé Numérique et est le Chef de la Division des Projets, des Etudes et de la Prospective au Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications du Cameroun. Elise Kenimbeni

New report calls on Guinean authorities to improve prevention from rape and care for survivors Authorities must introduce new law on gender-based violence  Over 400 complaints for rape were registered in 2021, most of survivors were minors Amnesty denounces barriers to justice for victims leading to impunity Victims of sexual violence in Guinea face social stigmatization, a lack of accessible medical care and serious barriers to justice, said Amnesty International and the International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) today in a new report ‘Shame must change sides, ensuring rights and justice for victims of sexual violence in Guinea’. Based on interviews with survivors of rape, administrative, judicial, traditional, and religious authorities, health care professionals, diplomats, civil society representatives, the report analyses the numerous obstacles to effective care for victims of rape, forensic examination, psychological support, and access to justice in Guinea. For many survivors, justice remains unattainable.  “Victims and their families have repeatedly told us that the horrendous sexual violence they experienced is compounded by societal judgement, but silence is starting to break on rape cases and civil society is moving to denounce sexual violence,” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “Despite recent efforts by the authorities to tackle the issue of sexual violence, many remains to be done in terms of information, prevention, access to care and justice to respect Guinea’s obligations under international and regional human rights laws.” In 2021, the Office for the Protection of Gender, Children and Morals (Oprogem) and the Special Brigade for the Protection of Vulnerable Persons (BSPPV) – specialized units within the police and the gendarmerie- dealt with more than 400 cases of rape, and most of the victims were minors, some of whom are under 13.  This report shows that the real figures of rape cases are undoubtedly higher, considering notably the practice of extrajudicial settlement and the higher number of cases treated in medical centres. Social stigmatization Victims of sexual violence and their families often face intense judgement in their communities amid widespread social stigmatization. The mother of a girl who said she was raped told Amnesty International about the stigma her child experienced: “[…] When we went to the hospital, one of the doctors said: ‘This is the little girl who was raped’. It hurts. Everywhere she goes, people point at her. She is always locked up in the house. She doesn’t go out; she hardly communicates with people. She wants to go back to school but it’s not possible.” More efforts should be done by the authorities to develop awareness and education campaigns to address the underlying social and cultural attitudes that discriminate against women and facilitate and perpetuate violence against them. These campaigns should promote zero tolerance for violence against women, debunk harmful gender stereotypes and myths associated with rape, eliminate the stigma associated with women victims of violence, and encourage victims to seek redress. Urgent need to improve access to care, sexual and reproductive rights and psychological support Guinea lacks an effective toll-free number enabling victims to report sexual violence and to receive medical and legal advice. And despite some initiatives like the creation of one-stop centres offering care and legal support, the availability, quality, and accessibility of the health system must be strengthened for victims, often of modest economic status. Many survivors are unable to access effective medical and psychological care or realise their right to sexual and reproductive health. Most medical specialist practice in the capital city Conakry and the cost of care can sometimes prevent victims from seeking treatment. A doctor said to Amnesty International: “We can provide free consultations and reports. But if people have complications that require surgery, or infectious complications that require medication, we can’t do that for free.” “The social stigma associated with rape in Guinea, which often leads to not reporting the crime and not filing complaints, leaves survivors of these atrocities without access to medical care and psychosocial support as well as legal aid to access justice and redress”, said Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry, IPPFAR Regional Director. “Gender based violence in all its forms is recognised as a human rights violation by the international human rights framework and jurisprudence. Gender inequality, power imbalance and lack of respect for human rights are often the root causes of such heinous acts and prevents survivors from accessing and enjoying their full sexual and reproductive health and rights. As human rights defenders, we must all take a stand and put a stop to these inexcusable acts”, added Petrus-Barry. Accessing justice is an obstacle course for victims Despite achieving real progress by adjusting legal frameworks in recent years and developing specialized police and gendarmerie units to respond to sexual violence cases, gaining access to justice in Guinea remains a challenging obstacle course for victims of sexual violence, while perpetrators often enjoy impunity. Customary authorities have been able to push for out of court settlements leading to prosecutions being dropped, which is against the law and against the rights of the survivors. Although there is lack of forensic specialists and the presentation of a medico-legal certificate is not a legal condition for filing a complaint, in practice it is often required. And even when this document is not required by the police or the gendarmerie, its absence becomes a major obstacle to a possible conviction in court. Judicial investigations are often hampered by a lack of resources and training in addressing and investigating sexual violence, which negatively impacts victims’ quest for justice. In the absence of effective free legal assistance for those unable to afford a lawyer, only NGOs are able to provide legal support. Similarly, Guinea’s justice system also lacks resources. The majority of judges, most of whom are men, work in poor conditions. The report of rapes survivors highlights that some of them perpetuate patriarchal stereotypes while handling sexual violence cases. Furthermore, the fact that the survivors of the 28 September 2009 massacre had to wait 13 years to finally hope for justice and reparation was

Nairobi – 20th September 2022 – International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and HowToUseAbortionPill.org have developed a free online medical abortion training course to equip healthcare workers with the necessary skills to provide care for women seeking medical abortion up to 13 weeks’ gestation. The course is aimed at the full range of providers, including physicians, midwives, pharmacists, medical students and community health workers. The course, which has been endorsed by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), is a seven-lesson video series accessible via the link https://elearning.howtouseabortionpill.org. It covers an overview of abortion care; how to support a medical abortion; symptoms, side effects and complications; and aftercare. The training is framed around four principles of care: person-centred care, rights-based care, quality, and privacy and confidentiality. “Abortion care continues to be left off medical training curriculums,” said Mallah Tabot, Lead SRHR Programming at IPPF Africa Region. “This online course will fill a critical gap in the education of many health workers. It has the potential to significantly increase the number of health workers with the skills and knowledge to provide abortion care, especially in low-resource settings, and thereby increase the number of women supported to safely end a pregnancy.” Unsafe abortion remains a serious global threat to women’s health and safety, causing an estimated 7 million hospitalizations and up to 13% of all maternal deaths worldwide each year. Medical abortion is a non-invasive method using two pills – mifepristone and misoprostol – or misoprostol alone.  Medical abortion is safe and effective and is recommended by the Word Health Organisation (WHO). Between 2015 and 2019 in Kenya, there were a total of 2,380,000 pregnancies annually. Of these, 1,450,000 pregnancies were unintended and 551,000 ended in abortion. in Nigeria, there were a total of 10,500,000 pregnancies annually with 2,990,000 unintended and 1,430,000 ended in abortion. In both countries, abortion is legal to preserve the pregnant person’s health. However, a majority of abortions are carried out by unqualified practitioners who run unsafe clinics. “Research shows that when women cannot access safe abortion care, they often seek unsafe methods,”  said Rebecca Wilkins, Technical Lead, Abortion at IPPF.  “This training course provides the information and resources necessary for health workers to support women who choose to have a safe abortion with pills in early pregnancy either within or outside a clinical setting.” The course is hosted on a login-based web portal which can be accessed from desktop or mobile and is structured to be an interactive learning experience, complete with quizzes and an option to download a certificate upon successful completion. In March this year, WHO issued new guidelines on abortion care.  The updated guidelines contain more than 50 recommendations covering clinical practice, health service delivery, and policy and legal actions including ensuring access to quality medical abortion pills. The new online training course is aligned to the clinical protocols recommended in the WHO guidelines. A landmark ruling by the High Court of Kenya in Malindi this year affirmed the right to abortion as a fundamental right under the Kenyan Constitution.  The ruling in a case filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK) in 2020 against government officials involved the arrest of a minor and a clinician. It has set a precedent against arbitrary arrests and prosecution of patients and health care providers for seeking or offering abortion services. Such arrests and prosecutions are now deemed illegal according to the new ruling. ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organizations in Africa and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women, in sub-Saharan Africa.  Supported by thousands of volunteers, IPPFAR tackles the continent’s growing SRHR challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs) in 40 countries. We do this by developing our MAs into efficient entities with the capacity to deliver and sustain high-quality, youth-focused and gender-sensitive services.  We work with Governments, the African Union, Regional Economic Commissions, the Pan-African Parliament, and United Nations bodies, among others, to expand political and financial commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa.  IPPF Africa Region