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ECSACON is anchored in the Human Resource for Health and Capacity Building program of the East Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA HC), plays a consultative role on Nursing and Midwifery to the existing regional structure.  It forms a platform for sharing and discussing the best practices and lessons learnt in the ECSA region through technical working groups as well as scientific conference which is conducted biannually.

In addition to sharing best practices through meetings; ECSACON produces an ECSACON newsletter biannually as well African Journal of Midwifery and Women’s health on quarterly basis in collaboration with the British journal of Midwifery. All these platforms play a significant role in moving forward Nursing and Midwifery agenda in the region.

Moreover, ECSACON has a vast experience in nursing and midwifery workforce development in the region in different ways. Among the initiatives undertaken by ECSACON to meet that goal is development of professional Regulatory framework (PRF) which was published in 2002 with financial support from USAID.

The PRF which was produced by ECSACON in consultations with Nursing and Midwifery stakeholders from member states, served a significant role in pre-service nursing and midwifery trainings as it gives directives for the custodians of Nursing and Midwifery curricula as well as stakeholders in developing and reviewing their respective curricula to suit their local needs in line with the regional minimum standards.

Objectives

  1. Facilitate standards development in nursing and midwife-ry education and practice
  2. Strengthen the regulatory framework, including standards and protocols in nursing and midwifery education, practice, research and management.
  3. Develop relevant and appropriate teaching/learning materials;
  4. Formulate policies and rules for effective functioning of ECSACON;
  5. Strengthen skills of nursing and midwifery educators, practitioners, and researchers.
  6. Provide leadership for the development of leadership and management skills for nurses and midwives.
  7. Encourage research that will promote evidence based practice and decision making in responding to changing health needs within the region;
  8. Promote reciprocity for licensure and practice and maximize utilization of scarce resources;
  9. Facilitate collaboration between national, regional, inter-national and interdisciplinary institutions as well as between and among member states for the benefit of health and well-being of people in the ECSA region;
  10. Promote and maintain excellence in nursing education, practices, research and leadership and management for improvement of health in the ECSA region;
  11. Facilitate meaningful utilization of scarce resources with-in ECSA through collaboration and networking;
  12. Promote advocacy for supportive policies for nursing and midwifery practice as well as for clients;
  13. Provide platform for sharing of best practices, experiences and lessons learnt within the ECSA region and be-yond;

Mission.

The Mission of ECSACON is to improve quality of health of the communities in the ECSA region through strengthening of the contribution of the frontline workers (nurses and midwives) towards delivery of quality health care services.

ECSACON is therefore committed to promoting and strengthening professional excellence through the development of programmes that will strengthen nursing and midwifery education, practice, management, leadership and research for the improvement and delivery of quality health care to communities in the ECSA Region.  ECSACON is further committed to regional collaboration, cooperation and networking with member states and other organizations with similar interests, and to advocate for enabling policies.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

The overall role of ECSACON is to complement government efforts to meet the health needs of the people in ECSA region through various activities. The college has played a catalytic role in national health development and development of the nursing and midwifery professions:

  1. Promoted harmonization efforts by developing a regulatory framework which acts as a reference material to member states as they develop standards and scopes of practice
  2. Advocated for and spearheaded the formulation and implementation of supportive health policies that would reinforce the desired changes in nursing/midwifery education and practice
  3. Provided guidelines and trainings in core  technical  areas  g.  HIV,  infection  prevention and control, leadership and management, Helping Babies Breath and others
  4. Creates a forum for sharing and exchange of professional experiences through scientific conferences
  5. Promotes research and application of results to nursing and midwifery education and practice
  6. Promotes partnership for patient safety and better patient outcomes g., African Regulatory Collaborative
  7. Facilitates the sharing of resources in nursing and midwifery in the region e.g., through organized surgical camps
  8. Work in collaboration to assess the region nursing workforce and recommend for the improvement in regulation, trainings and deployment
  9. Promotes CPD through technology platforms
  10. On progress to develop training specialty for peri-operative and anesthetic nurses
  11. Expand to the wider range of the new collaboration with partners in order to improve different aspects of health across the region