ICAP has received renewed funding to lead the Global Nurse Capacity Building Program supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This five-year funding will support the expansion and enhancement of the ongoing nurse capacity building efforts that ICAP has conducted since 2009, with a focus on strengthening nursing and midwifery education systems and increasing the number of trained nurses and midwives.
This award will enable ICAP to oversee two major projects supported by HRSA and PEPFAR. First, ICAP will continue its work as the official Coordinating Center for the Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI). NEPI currently works in five countries—Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia—to strengthen the capacity of select nursing and midwifery educational institutions and ensure a sufficient numbers of skilled practitioners.
As the Coordinating Center, ICAP will continue to leverage its extensive global health education, research, and programmatic experience in 21 countries around the world to facilitate nursing education projects carried out in the five NEPI countries. ICAP will also continue to coordinate the implementation of nursing trainings and communications between Ministries of Health, nursing and midwifery schools, educators, professional councils and associations, and other stakeholders in the NEPI partnership.
Secondly, ICAP will support the Nursing Capacity Building Program, which is focused on training nurses to provide HIV and primary care services by bridging pre-service and in-service nursing education, fostering continuing professional development, and promoting nursing leadership and recognition. Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Tanzania will be new additions to ongoing nurse capacity building programs in South Africa, Swaziland, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Lesotho, and Kenya. Through its Coordinating Center, ICAP will harmonize activities between the two projects and across country programs while partnering with a regionally-based nursing education institution to transition activities over the next five years.
“ICAP embraces this opportunity to continue its work to make nursing and midwifery a focal point for strengthening health care systems,” said ICAP Director Wafaa El-Sadr. “We are deeply committed to supporting nurses and midwives who form the backbone of the health system,” added Jennifer Dorhn, ICAP program director.