Building a postgraduate psychiatry training program in Liberia through cross-country collaborations: initiation stages, challenges, and opportunities

• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1020723
• Publication Date: 2023-09-01T15:41:01Z
• Authors: Senait Ghebrehiwet; Temitope Ogundare; Micaela Owusu; Benjamin L. Harris; Babawale Ojediran; Mia Touma; Michelle P. Durham; Kimberly Hook; Christina P. C. B...; David C. Henderson
• Keywords: Psychiatry; medicine; international health; Education, Medical; Liberia; psychiatry; 3. Good health; Africa; postgraduate training; Humans; Public Health; Education, Graduate; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; medical education

Background About 80% of the nearly 2 billion people experiencing psychiatric conditions worldwide do not have access to quality, affordable mental health care. In Africa, there are 0.004 psychiatrists per 10,000 people, with shortage exacerbated by a limited number postgraduate psychiatry training opportunities. As 2018, were only two in Liberia. Methods This paper aims offer framework for developing (i.e., residency) resource-constrained settings disseminate best practices and lessons learned. article describes approach formal global academic partnership that supported initiation Liberia’s first program July 2019. Results Authors describe strengths, challenges, opportunities improvement planning stages program. Key strengths process include: (1) collaboration coalition local national stakeholders committed improving care Liberia; (2) early procurement quality video conferencing equipment internet service facilitate remote learning broaden digital materials; (3) leveraging intra-continental partnerships subspecialty training. Challenges experienced navigating intricacies political administrative processes; recruiting candidates medical specialty historically lower salaries; added burden placed on specialists. Identified include building monitoring, evaluation, (MEL) framework, further diversifying areas neurological training, obtaining full accreditation through West African College Physicians (WACP). Conclusion The successful launch Liberia is attributed several factors, including long-standing over 10 years support capacity-building efforts at levels.