The African Genomic Medicine Training Initiative (AGMT): Showcasing a Community and Framework Driven Genomic Medicine Training for Nurses in Africa

Abstract

The potential of genomic medicine in improving the quality of healthcare both at population and individual-level is well-recognized globally. However, successful adoption of genetic and genomic evidence into clinical practice depends on training the healthcare workforce and clinical researchers in genomic medicine. Due to limited expertise in the medical genetics and genomics field, widespread uptake largely depends on task-shifting for the implementation of genomic medicine implementation to key healthcare professionals such as nurses. Their knowledge would be developed through courses aimed at professional development. Globally, trainers, and training initiatives in genomic medicine are in early stages of development, but resource limited settings such as the African continent face additional logistical and institutional challenges. The African Genomic Medicine Training (AGMT) Initiative was conceived during a combined conference of the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) and the Human Heredity and Health in Africa Consortium (H3Africa) in 2016, Senegal, in response to the needs for developing knowledge and skills in genomic medicine. AGMT was established to implement a sustainable genomic medicine training initiative primarily for healthcare professionals who are not geneticists but are nurses, doctors, and pharmacists in Africa. This paper reports on the establishment of the AGMT initiative and the strategies developed and piloted by this initiative in designing and implementing an accredited frame-work and community-based blended learning course for nurses across 11 African countries. The global implementation experiences, outcomes and lessons learnt are highlighted. The AGMT initiative strategy takes advantage of existing research consortia and networks to train and create a pool of trainers and has adopted evidence-based approaches to guide curriculum and content development/adaptation. This initiative established the first Africa-wide online blended learning genomic medicine course which forms the basis from which to develop courses for other healthcare professionals and the wider public.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceived Barriers toward Genetic Testing and Pharmacogenomics among Healthcare Workers in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…A survey on Canadian physicians working in oncology, cardiology, and family medicine concluded that physicians with prior training on genomics medicine had a significantly higher mean knowledge score [ 56 ]. In fact, education and training are the foundation of most of the platforms, frameworks, and consortia that coined the implementation of genetic testing and personalized medicine [ 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ].…”

Genomic-informed pathogen surveillance in Africa: opportunities and challenges

“…Several programmes in Africa can be taken advantage of, including the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) bioinformatics network training and education programmes 44 and their associated networks, African Genomic Medicine Training Initiative (AGMT), 54 the Wellcome Trust-led Developing Excellence in Leadership and Genetics Training for Malaria Elimination in Sub-Saharan Africa (DELGEME), 55 graduate pro grammes and short courses offered under the South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI) and other universities, 56,57 training programmes by genomics institutions such as Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease (ACEGID), 58 and Medical Research Council-The Gambia, 59 among others.…”

Barriers and Considerations for Diagnosing Rare Diseases in Indigenous Populations

“…The current and projected shortage of medical geneticists and genetic counselors, who historically have provided the majority of genetic services, has created a need for genomic education of health-care professionals across disciplines ( 91 , 92 ). The African Genomic Medicine Training (AGMT) Initiative, for example, was established to develop knowledge and skills of non-specialist providers in genomic medicine ( 93 ). Indigenous people, especially those living in rural and remote areas, have poor access to health services ( 94 ) and little to no access to genetic health services.…”