[Construction of a common vision of nurses and midwives training in Democratic Republic of the Congo.]

OBJECTIVE: To present the activities that facilitate the development of a public policy by public health and higher and university education ministry stakeholders - based on a common vision of nurses and midwives training in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

METHODS: An operational research using different methods applied by experts called ?policy brokers? according to a framework covering the advocacy mechanisms (Advocacy Coalition Framework) designed to promote the development of a public policy. The population comprised 2 types of common interest groups (coalitions), derived from 3 systems (sociocultural-legal, educational, professional), involved in the choice of the ?secondary AND higher? or ?secondary OR higher? training profile for the concerned professionals. The methods comprised: workshops (discussion, training, restitution, validation, negotiation, scientific, reflection group meetings), training activities (programme development, training of nursing and midwives trainers-supervisors) and a variety of media coverage and marketing activities.

RESULTS: The nurses and midwives profiles required in the DRC have been established. The levels required for their training have been validated and defined by a common vision of the two ministries concerned. A formal consultation framework was set up to launch the required reform for the review of these two professional's profiles.

CONCLUSION: The public policy experts' activities based on the advocacy framework are complex, lengthy and time-consuming. In DRC, a Ministerial decree is currently being finalized to address the creation of a formal consultation framework concerning the training and utilisation of human health resources.