for the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) COVID-19 Research Collaboration on Children and Adolescents IMPORTANCE Little is known about COVID-19 outcomes among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where preexisting comorbidities are prevalent. OBJECTIVE To assess the clinical outcomes and factors associated with outcomes among children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study was a retrospective record review of data from 25 hospitals in the

Globally, there are prevailing knowledge gaps in the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection among children and adolescents; however, these gaps are especially wide in African countries. The availability of robust age-disaggregated data is a critical first step in improving knowledge on disease burden and manifestations of COVID-19 among children. Furthermore, it is essential to improve understanding of SARS-CoV-2 interactions with comorbidities and co-infections such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, sickle cell disease and malnutrition, which are highly prevalent among children in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) COVID-19 Research Collaboration on Children and Adolescents is conducting studies across Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa to address existing knowledge gaps. This consortium is expected to generate key evidence to inform clinical practice and public health policymaking for COVID-19, while concurrently addressing other major diseases affecting children in African countries.

Background Effective leadership is crucial for improving the quality of health professionals trained in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, many health professions training institutions lack formal faculty mentorship programs for leaders, leaving faculty to learn on the job without formal support. To address this gap, the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) developed an innovative leadership capacity-strengthening program, named after the late educator and research, James Hakim. Objective This article describes the design and implementation of the AFREhealth leadership training program and how it could bridge the leadership skills gap in health professions education in SSA. The objective of the article is to describe the program’s implementation process, share the experiences of participants, and discuss lessons learned. Methods The AFREhealth leadership training program was developed through consultative meetings, after a landscape review of existing leadership training programs. The program was designed to be delivered virtually over a 12-week period, and the curriculum included modules on leadership styles and personality, mentorship, change management, conflict management, budgeting, resource mobilization, building partnerships, inter-professional education & collaborative practice, and working on inter-professional teams. Training activities included weekly workshops, small group discussions, readings, reflective sessions with senior health leaders/experts, focused mentorship sessions, and a guided project design capstone. Surveys were conducted to obtain feedback from participants and assess the program’s impact on their ongoing leadership roles in their institutions. Results The leadership training program was implemented twice in a 20-month period, with 68 trainees completing the program. Participants reported increased knowledge, skills, and confidence in attaining key leadership competencies. The virtual delivery of the training allowed for a wide pool of applicants to participate, and the curriculum was designed to be adaptable for other institutions. Conclusion The AFREhealth leadership development program demonstrated the need for mentoring health professions education leaders in Africa and the effectiveness of virtual training methods. The innovative curriculum and delivery model provide a valuable resource for other institutions seeking to build leadership capacity in health professions education.