The programme was launched by Challa Madhusudan Reddy, Chairman and N Bangara Raju, Managing Director, APSSDC
The Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) has launched COVID-related courses for frontline health workers and other stakeholders. The programme was launched by Challa Madhusudan Reddy, Chairman and N Bangara Raju, Managing Director, APSSDC.
Speaking about the initiative, Reddy said, “As per the vision of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh and guidelines of Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Minister for Industries, Commerce, Information Technology and Skill Development, APSSDC, in association with Future Learn and other international collaborators like FIND (which brings on-board content from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM)), Johns Hopkins University’s Johns Hopkins school of nursing, Jhpiego (a John’s Hopkins University Affiliate) and Public Health England (PHE) is providing several self-paced online courses related to COVID-19.”
In addition to it, Raju said, “APSSDC is conducting different COVID-related courses like COVID-19: diagnostics and testing, laboratory training for COVID-19 molecular testing, COVID-19: effective nursing in times of crisis, COVID-19: psychological first aid, COVID-19-related online webinars by Royal Colleges of Physicians of Edinburgh…etc.
“These virtual trainings are aimed at upgrading the skills of professionals involved in the testing and diagnosis of COVID-19, officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), laboratory managers, laboratory technologists and technicians, clinicians, programme managers, implementing partners and others involved in laboratory testing for COVID-19, nurses or other healthcare professionals working with COVID-19 patients, frontline or essential workers and volunteers dealing with the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Further, according to Dr DV Rama Koti Reddy, Executive Director, APSSDC, FIND, with support from PATH and the Gates Foundation, is providing two courses – COVID-19: diagnostics and testing and “laboratory training for COVID-19 molecular testing – free of cost under their public health initiative, which otherwise will cost around 40 pounds per course.
“These courses teach the candidates about the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and role of diagnostics as the response, different types of diagnostic tests and their use in the COVID-19 outbreak, current recommendations on use of COVID-19 diagnostics and testing strategies, setting up and performing molecular diagnostic testing with special emphasis on CBNAAT and Truenat-based COVID-19 testing, essentials on handling, bio safety and inventory management,” Reddy added.
Informing about the further course of action, Christina Melidou, Partnership Manager – Healthcare Lead, FutureLearn, said, “We welcome the partnership with APSSDC on our different training courses. Initially, we launched the COVID-related courses to bring our expertise to the frontline workers and compliment the efforts of the state government. Further, we are planning to launch more courses in Andhra Pradesh as per the need.”