Establishing a university based resuscitation training program in Botswana: progress report

Abstract

The University of Botswana Resuscitation Training Project (UB RTP) was set up in 2011 to train staff, students and other health professionals in Botswana in internationally accredited courses. Initial external funding from a Medical Education Partnership Initiative (BoMEPI) was essential to purchase resuscitation training equipment, train instructors and monitor early progress. Despite challenges in staff retention, maintenance of all the initiated educational courses, ongoing financial support and health professionals spread throughout a sparsely populated country; the UB RTP has trained over 1600 participants, increased courses, training venues and educational experiences for the UB Faculty of Medicine. Now in the seventh year, this article describes how internationally accredited training programs were introduced and sustained in a newly opened medical school in a middle income country.