Policy Brief VIDEO CONFERENCE IN FMOH -SUDAN 242 American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) ISSN (Print) 2313-4410, ISSN (Online) 2313-4402 © Global Society of Scientific Research and Researchers http://asrjetsjournal.org/ Policy Brief: Video Conference in FMOH Dr. Nadia Abuzied* Head of Planning and policy, Continuing Professional Development Directorate - Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum ,Sudan Email: dr.nadiaali@hotmail.com Abstract Video conferencing is the ability to host live interactive meetings by using Internet connectivity, a computer and a web camera. With video conferencing, training can now hold meetings with the participants being virtually anywhere in the country. As one of the developing countries, Sudan faces immense shortcomings in developing human resource and an extreme lack of training in- services cadre. The Ministry of health, the WHO, and other international donors provide CPD learning activities for health work force involved in vertical programs through National training activities. The Sudan FMOH ranked CPD among top national priority areas for health sector development. In fact, intensive efforts were undertaken to institutionalize CPD for all major categories of health professions. Since the Videoconferencing is a cost effective method of facilitating live, interactive communication across different Efforts must be focused on video conference and on line training courses for immediate improvements in skill knowledge and attitude for the in service health cadre. Access to video conference services and increased education and empowerment of health cadre must be emphasized for sustainable progress. One of the challenges facing FMOH today is enabling employees to work productively while also ensuring the security of the IT network and, crucially, the data on it. Given that technology is continually changing, employees play a significant role in IT security. Efficiency of health services, decreasing running cost of services, avoids duplication in services by multi server, and Services sustainability. This policy conferencing services applies to all users of existing Sudan-States video as well as individuals or units who desire to establish a video conferencing capability regardless of physical location. So advantages of video conferencing are, no time constraint, dramatic travel saving, easy communication, and increased productivity. The disadvantages of video conferencing are lack of personal interaction, technical problems, international time zones, high cost of setup. We are very excited about the opportunities that this new direction and identity will bring. In my opinion, Video conferencing enables people from different place to communicate with each other in a more convenient way. KeyWords: Video Conferencing; Continuing Professional Development Directorate; Federal Ministry of Health ; states. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Corresponding author. http://asrjetsjournal.org/ http://www.cumeeting.com/ American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 243 1. Introduction 1.1Backround In past years, video conferencing has been something of a novelty, and there has been a certain tolerance for quality problems. As audio and video conferencing move more into the mainstream, however, customers and end users will demand greater performance, reliability, security, and scalability from their systems. Voice and Video Conferencing [1] .Video conferencing is certainly no new application to enterprise communications users. Room to room video conferencing has grown from its introduction at the World’s Fair in1964 to a widely deployed enterprise application around the globe. Video conferencing as a general business application however, while promising to become mainstream during the last50 years, has remained a special purpose application and a niche market [2]. 1.2 Definition A videoconference connects two or more sites with audio and video links so that participants can converse, interact, and share documents. As a distance education tool, videoconferences help teachers reach any students who are isolated in distance or time from an instructor. Like other technology from television to e-mail a videoconference is a tool to deliver course content. Distance education in general and videoconferencing in particular bring considerations and challenges not encountered in classrooms bound by four walls, but it can also make learning more accessible, relevant, and exciting [3]. 1.3 Goals The goals of distance education courses should be aligned with the educational goals of the school and district. Keeping this in mind during the planning stage helps ensure that courses, and the entire distance education Program, meet students' needs [3]. 1.4 Justifications to integrate technological services Efficiency of health services, decreasing running cost of services, avoid duplication in services by multi server, and Services sustainability. 1.5 Scope This policy conferencing services applies to all users of existing Sudan-States video as well as individuals or units who desire to establish a video conferencing capability regardless of physical location 2. literature review videoconferencing is one of the e-conferencing which covers all popular electronic (13conferencing concepts) that enable people to meet and have real time interactions virtually that usually involves features such as audio and video, chat tools, and application sharing .Therefore the development of virtual meeting mostly depends on American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 244 the development of e-conferencing [4]. As one of the developing countries, Sudan faces immense shortcomings in developing human resource and an extreme lack of training in- services cadre.. The Ministry of health, the WHO, and other international donors provide CPD learning activities for health work force involved in vertical programs through National training activities. The Sudan FMOH ranked CPD among top national priority areas for health sector development. In fact, intensive efforts were undertaken to institutionalize CPD for all major categories of health professions. Since the Videoconferencing is a cost effective method of facilitating live, interactive communication across different Efforts must be focused on video conference and on line training courses for immediate improvements in skill knowledge and attitude for the in service health cadre. Access to video conference services and increased education and empowerment of health cadre must be emphasized for sustainable progress. One of the challenges facing FMOH today is enabling employees to work productively while also ensuring the security of the IT network and, crucially, the data on it. Given that technology is continually changing, employees play a significant role in IT security. Videoconferencing Services will help you to identify the most likely individuals to help, depending on:- the kind of service you want.You will probably now be in a position where you know, with whom you want to communicate ,what uses you have for videoconferencing ,which systems are the appropriate for you ,who in your institution provides videoconferencing services ,some other individuals who are using videoconferencing ,whether or not there is a suitable service available to you [5]. 2.1 Types of Videoconferencing systems There are three kinds of video conferencing: a-Integrated Room Size: The teacher and student will be located in a technologically equipped room with multimedia resources. Multiple monitors are normally used to display video, and multiple microphones for the audio. This supports onto man y interactive learning, normally controlled by the teacher or chairperson. Participation is normally unequal and distinct with formal common citation. Students can tend both at the local and remote sites. b-Desktop: This normally supports one-to-one videoconferencing, where participants who do not have access to videoconferencing equipment may communicate with each Other using desktop videoconferencing software. This is an ideal tool for meetings and tutorial session c-Portable Units: The videoconference system is normally set in such a way so that it can be transported from one location to the next. Connection is also established through a network connecting the local (near-end), and the remote sites (far-end) [6]. 3. Materials and Methods 3.1 Nature and Magnitude of the Problem The National HRH Survey conducted in 2006 revealed 74% of health workers in Sudan were not subjected to any form of in-service training during the last 5 years. The Sudan FMOH ranked CPD among top national priority areas for health sector development In fact, intensive efforts were undertaken to institutionalize CPD for all major categories of health professions. In 2009 the CPDNC reformed to directorate (CPDD) and changed its American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 245 functions from implementation to coordination and regulation of CPD learning activities. Till present the CPDD implement training through the CPDNC. Since then, 18 CPD centers were established in 18 states, and another 25 centers were established at different hospitals. Since the development of the CPDD a huge evolution of the professional learning era has occurred. Poor access training in all states remains a pervasive problem in Sudan [7]. 3.2 Current situation Refer to federal ministry of health IT committee which recommended to integrate technological services in all FMoH directorates, video conference one of this services uses by three directorates (CPDD. EHA, PHI) as the following:-States with video conference services served by CPDD:-1 Gazira 2. Blue Nile 3. Northern4. NorthDarfour 5. Gadarif .States with video conference services served by EHA: 1.Kassala 2.South Darfur 3.Sennar4. White Nile5.West Darfur 6. Red SeaStates. States with video conference services served by CPDD & EHA:-1. River Nile 2. North Kordofan .Fig (1) Figure 1 States under process to establish vedio conference services: 1.South Kordofan 2.West Kordofan3. Centeral Darfour 4. East Darfour Fig (2) Figure 2 Figure 3 states with video conference sevices served by CPDD & EHA yes states under process to establish vedio … yes American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 246 4. Affected Populations Physicians and all health personnel will use CPD more effectively in their strategies to deliver the best possible patient care. CPD professionals will support these efforts by working with physicians and allied health personnel to plan, implement, and support educational activities that focus on prevention. Continuous Professional Development mission is “to update doctors and health personnel, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond”… CPDD assume other roles including advocacy and promotion of CPD culture within bodies and institutions locally, regionally and internationally, identification of training gaps and needs, curricula development, organization, delivery, monitoring of training of trainers, and coordination with professional councils for career pathways for the various medical specialties and other allied health professionals. 5. Advantages and Disadvantages of video conferencing No time constraint: Video conferencing can be conducted at any time of the day. Time differences between countries do not matter when people use this method of communication because they do not actually need to travel to attend meetings.. Dramatic travel saving: Not only is video conferencing a direct replacement for many in-person business trip, but also there is virtually no cost for people to be involved in a virtual meeting, you can easily bring and right them together. Easy communication: People can use video conferencing to communicate with anyone with HD video and other collaboration tools such as whiteboard, text exchange, file sharing, media sharing, screen sharing, remote control, electronic voting, conference recording etc. Increased productivity: By eliminating time and district barriers, meetings can be hold anytime, anywhere with anyone. In this way, meetings are shorter and more effective. And also with the rich collaboration tools, decisions can be made faster. Also the disadvantages are :- Lack of personal interaction: Some meetings require a personal touch to be successful. Video conferencing can be less personal than meeting face to face, and it can be possible to miss out on vital body language when you’re struggling with a pixilated image or stuttering video. Technical problems: The major disadvantages are the technical difficulties associated with smooth transmissions that could result from software, hardware or network failure. Remote connections are sometimes known to be hampered by environmental changes. On some occasions, the absence of technical support personnel creates difficulty for participants who are unfamiliar with the videoconferencing technological concepts. International time zones: One of the very real disadvantages of using video conferencing is that if you communicate regularly with people in other countries you will be available at different times to them. Unfortunately without the skills of a time lord there’s not really a practical way to overcome this. High cost of setup: Setting up video conferencing in an office can be a bit expensive for small-sized companies. Simple features can fit into the budget, but if advanced features are required, and then a substantial amount of expenditure must be done [8]. 6. Priority Action Steps The immediate and long-term needs of Video conference must be met, and there exist cost effective methods for improving training. Widespread, Video conference in18 states must begin immediately to increase our target trained personnel. Supervised contagiously to reduce the challenges which are faced by the communication net. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 247 In order to make sustainable improvements, the online training must be dramatically improved upon. Conditional online, similar to those18 states utilized, should incentivize attendance and performance in primary and secondary health care, specifically for health cadres. Such programs have been shown to reduce inequality and promote online training, leading to improve empowerment of employee, which is crucial for improved all health employee skill ,attitude ,and behavior . 7. Conclusion We are very excited about the opportunities that this new direction and identity will bring. We aim to create a real sense of engagement with our work, allowing supporters to feel part of a wider videoconference movement; working collaboratively for positive change. This change is more than just a change in name and brand. This is a change in our impact model, approach to partnerships, our financial resilience and our global public profile. To stay true to our mission to help health cadre lift themselves out of non-training, we are setting out an ambitious new path on how we are going to achieve. 8. Implications and Recommendations In my opinion, Video conferencing advantages definitely outweigh its disadvantages. It enables people from different place to communicate with each other in a more convenient way. Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge dr .Isameldin Abdalla Undersecretary Federal Ministry of Health- Sudan ,the one whose contributions were essential to the preparation of health sector strategic plan , and who gave me the authority to conduct this policy. References [1] Scott Firestone, Thiya Ramalingam, and Steve Fry ,Voice and Video Conferencing Fundamentals , Cisco Press800 East 96th Street Indianapolis, IN 46240USA , March 2007, pp xix. [2] Richard Kent and Harold Tepper Enterprise Video Conferencing: Ready for Prime Time A WhitePaper From December,2005 pp3. [3] A Teacher's Guide to Videoconferencing, How to Plan, Produce, Present, Manage, and Assess a Distance Learning Class,by Susan Mason and Mike Davis,edited by Gary Graves and Kirk deFord February, 2000. [4] Kunwei Lin ,The Impact Of E-Conferencing Applications On Business Travel Decision-making :A qualitative pp12-13. [5] Lindsey Butters Anne Clarke Tim Hewson Sue Pomfret, The Dos and Don’ts of Videoconferencing in Higher Education ,HUSAT Research Institute Lough borough University of Technology Chapter 1: http://www.cumeeting.com/ American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017) Volume 36, No 1, pp 242-248 248 Videoconferencing in Higher Educationpp pp18. [6] Videoconferencing Guide,The Technology and Pedagogy of Two-way communication overGeographical distance Version 3. [7] Isameldin Abdalla . National HRH survey. Sudan, who.int/workforce alliance (2006) pp25-26. [8] Richard Kent and Harold Tepper Enterprise Video Conferencing: Ready for Prime Time A WhitePaper From December,2005 pp3. . 3.2 Current situation Refer to federal ministry of health IT committee which recommended to integrate technological services in all FMoH directorates, video conference one of this services uses by three directorates (CPDD. EHA, PHI) as the following:-States with video conf... 4. Affected Populations Physicians and all health personnel will use CPD more effectively in their strategies to deliver the best possible patient care. CPD professionals will support these efforts by working with physicians and allied health personnel to plan, implement, an...