How medical education can contribute towards the reduction of maternal mortality in Angola: the teaching/learning process of Gynecology and Obstetrics

M Mendes, J Barbosa, E Loureiro, MA Ferreira

Abstract

Background: In Angola the maternal mortality ratio is among the highest in the world. Medical students are an important target for intervention. Objectives: To evaluate how students perceive the curricular unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics (G&O) in a public institution of reference in Angola. Methods: The study involved a sample of 147 students of the faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola, attending the curricular unit of G&O in the 5th and 6th years of the medical course. Data were obtained through surveys of opinion. The information of the scales was summarized through the construction of scores from the original items using the Principal Components Analysis. Results: Students evaluated positively the curricular unit although emphasizing the lack of human and physical resources. The 5th year scored with higher values Teacher Performance and 6th year Students’ Performance. Both years considered to have insufficient skills to meet the learning objectives. Conclusion: Constraints were identified in the outcomes of the teaching/learning program. Several points emerged as crucial from this study: widespread the areas of teaching/learning, increase the number and quality of teaching staff, improve the monitoring of students and provide adequate infrastructures and medical equipment to support the teaching/learning program.

Keywords: African Developing Countries; Maternal Mortality; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Medical Education

African Health sciences Vol 14 No. 1 March 2014