Zambia Health Information Project: The UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health has teamed up with the University of Iowa/Widernet “eGranary” Project to build a digital library of health information resources for students and practitioners in medicine, nursing, public health, and other health-related disciplines for several Zambian instutions, including the University of Zambia (UNZA), Chainama College of Medical Sciences, and the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). For more general information about the eGranary project, please visit www.egranary.com. The eGranary project is supported by many global collaborators, including the World Health Organization.
Due to the limitations of access to the Internet (either because of availability, slow speed, or high cost) in many parts of the world, including Zambia, this computer-based tool, the eGranary Digital Library, is a LAN/Intranet based off-line repository of digital information. While it does not need to be connected to the Internet, the eGranary interface is much like using a web browser, and users can access any material that can be digitized. This project will help users of the eGranary access health information and training materials through specially created "portals" organized by content and type, including: e-books, web pages/web sites, articles, DVDs/videos, case studies, tutorials or curricula, and clinical practice guidelines. Users will also be invited to put local materials onto the eGranary system.
Since mid-2008, a team of health professionals and students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Iowa, and the University of Zambia have been working together to identify useful health information resources to load onto the eGranary. The installation, training, monitoring, and evaluation phase will occur during the June-July of 2009 at several sites in Lusaka, Zambia.
The Sparkman Center would like to thank all of the UAB students and faculty who have contributed to identifying resource materials for the eGranary. We would especially like to thank the Schools of Nursing, Health-Related Professions, Medicine, and Public Health for their contributions.
Nurse Prescribing Program for HIV: The Sparkman Center has worked closely with the leadership in Zambia during the development phase of this program and has provided technical assistance. The overall program, including curriculum and formulary, was approved by other program partners June 16, 2008. A proposal for Phase 1 support from CDC Global AIDS Program Zambia (PEPFAR) was approved in 2008 with the UNZA School of Medicine as partners on the proposal. The Sparkman Center has committed salary support for nursing coordinator positions for the two initial years of the program as well as technical and financial as needed for initial startup phase. This program is scheduled for implementation in mid-2009. Collaborating institutions include: The Zambia Ministry of Health, Zambian Union of Nursing Organizations, Lusaka Schools of Nursing, University of Zambia, Zambian Ministry of Defense, Pharmacy and Regulatory Authority of Zambia, WHO Zambia Office, ITECH-Ethiopia, CIDRZ, University of Maryland– AIDS Relief, Health Systems Support Program, JHPIEGO, Zambian Prevention, Care and Treatment (ZPCT), Partnership with UAB WHO Collaborating Center for International Nursing
