Lessons Learned From Implementing E‑Learning for the Education of Health Professionals in Resource‑Constrained Countries

Abstract

The growing global demand for tertiary education has led to the increased use of e‑learning approaches around the world. Demand has increased most rapidly in low and middle income countries (LMICs), which account for half of the students currently enrolled in higher educational institutions (HEIs). But the implementation of e‑learning programmes in resource‑constrained settings faces many obstacles. This paper explores some of the key issues involved in implementation of e‑learning in HEIs involved in the education of health professionals, given the resource constraints within which many institutions have to function. We present case studies of three such LMIC institutions of varying size and primary purpose. The paper suggests use of appropriate ICT infrastructure, both in terms of hardware and software, combined with effective access and bandwidth management policies is crucial to the successful implementation of e‑learning courses on health within HEIs based in LMICs.