Chilling effect

Chilling effect

Reda SadkiGlobal health

We reached out to senior decision makers working in global health about the new Certificate peer learning programme for equity in research and practice. Crickets. One CEO wrote: “We aren’t currently in a position to enter into new strategic partnerships on the topic.” The chilling effect is real. Many organizations are retreating from publicly championing equity work—even those with deep commitments to fairness and inclusion. But here’s the opportunity: While public discourse faces headwinds, meaningful work continues through trusted networks and communities of practice. This is precisely when innovation in equity approaches accelerates—away from the spotlight but with profound impact. The evidence is clear: health systems that neglect equity waste resources and deliver poorer outcomes. When research excludes key populations or policies overlook certain communities, we all lose—through inefficiency, increased costs, and diminished impact. This moment calls for courage from those who understand that equity is fundamental to effective health …

MOOC completion rates in context

Online learning completion rates in context: Rethinking success in digital learning networks

Reda SadkiGlobal health, Learning

The comprehensive analysis of 221 Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) by Katy Jordan provides crucial insights for health professionals navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of digital learning. Her study, published in the International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, examined completion rates across diverse platforms including Coursera, Open2Study, and others from 78 institutions.  These findings reveal important patterns that can transform how we approach professional learning in global health contexts. Beyond traditional completion metrics For global health epidemiologists accustomed to face-to-face training with financial incentives and dedicated time away from work, these completion rates might initially appear appalling. In traditional capacity building programswhere participants receive per diems, travel stipends, and paid time away from work. Outcomes such as “completion” are rarely measured. Instead, attendance remains the key metric. In fact, completion rates are often confused with attendance. From this perspective, even the highest MOOC completion rate of 52.1% could …

What is complex learning

What is complex learning?

Reda SadkiGlobal health

Complex learning happens when people solve real problems instead of just memorizing facts. Think about the difference between reading about how to ride a bicycle and actually learning to ride one. You cannot learn to ride a bicycle just by reading about it – you need to practice, fall, adjust, and try again until your body understands how to balance. Health challenges work the same way. Reading about how to respond to a disease outbreak is very different from actually managing one. Complex learning recognizes this difference. 5 key features of complex learning: Why it matters for health work: Most health challenges are complex problems. Disease outbreaks, vaccination campaigns, and health system improvements all require more than just technical knowledge. They require the ability to: Complex learning builds these abilities by engaging people with real challenges, supporting them as they try solutions, and helping them reflect on what they learn. …

What is networked learning

What is networked learning?

Reda SadkiGlobal health

Networked learning happens when people learn through connections with others facing similar challenges. Think about how market traders learn their business – not through formal classes, but by connecting with other traders, sharing tips, and learning from each other’s experiences. This natural way of learning through relationships is what networked learning tries to support. 5 key features of networked learning: Why networked learning matters for health work: Health systems are full of isolated practitioners who could benefit from each other’s knowledge: Networked learning connects these isolated pockets of knowledge, allowing good ideas to spread and adapt across different contexts. Unlike traditional training that pulls people away from their work for workshops, networked learning happens through ongoing connections that support everyday problem-solving. When health workers participate in networked learning, they gain access to a community of practice that continues to provide support long after formal training ends. Networked learning doesn’t replace …

Complex problems

What is a complex problem?

Reda SadkiGlobal health

What is a complex problem and what do we need to tackle it? Problems can be simple or complex. Simple problems have a clear first step, a known answer, and steps you can follow to get the answer. Complex problems do not have a single right answer. They have many possible answers or no answer at all. What makes complex problems really hard is that they can change over time. They have lots of different pieces that connect in unexpected ways. When you try to solve them, one piece changes another piece, which changes another piece. It is hard to see all the effects of your actions. When you do something to help, later on the problem might get worse anyway. You have to keep adapting your ideas. To solve really hard problems, you need to be able to: The most important things are being flexible, watching how every change …

Artificial intelligence, accountability, and authenticity knowledge production and power in global health crisis

Artificial intelligence, accountability, and authenticity: knowledge production and power in global health crisis

Reda SadkiGlobal health

I know and appreciate Joseph, a Kenyan health leader from Murang’a County, for years of diligent leadership and contributions as a Scholar of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF). Recently, he began submitting AI-generated responses to Teach to Reach Questions that were meant to elicit narratives grounded in his personal experience. Seemingly unrelated to this, OpenAI just announced plans for specialized AI agents—autonomous systems designed to perform complex cognitive tasks—with pricing ranging from $2,000 monthly for a “high-income knowledge worker” equivalent to $20,000 monthly for “PhD-level” research capabilities. This is happening at a time when traditional funding structures in global health, development, and humanitarian response face unprecedented volatility. These developments intersect around fundamental questions of knowledge economics, authenticity, and power in global health contexts. I want to explore three questions: Artificial intelligence within punitive accountability structures of global health For years, Joseph had shared thoughtful, context-rich contributions based on his direct experiences. …

New ways to learn and lead HPV vaccination

AI podcast explores surprising insights from health workers about HPV vaccination

Reda SadkiGlobal health

This is an AI podcast featuring two hosts discussing an article by Reda Sadki titled “New Ways to Learn and Lead HPV Vaccination: Bridging Planning and Implementation Gaps.” The conversational format involves the AI hosts taking turns explaining key points and sharing insights about Sadki’s work on HPV vaccination strategies. While the conversation is AI-generated, everything is based on the published article and insights from the experiences of thousands of health workers participating in Teach to Reach. The Geneva Learning Foundation’s approach Throughout the podcast, the hosts explore how the Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) has developed a five-step process to improve HPV vaccination implementation through their “Teach to Reach” program. This process involves: The hosts emphasize that this approach represents a shift from traditional top-down strategies to one that values the collective intelligence of over 16,000 global health workers who implement these programs. Surprising findings The AI hosts discuss several …

New ways to learn and lead HPV vaccination Bridging planning and implementation gaps

HPV vaccination: New learning and leadership to bridge the gap between planning and implementation

Reda SadkiGlobal health

This article is based on my presentation about HPV vaccination at the 2nd National Conference on Adult Immunization and Allied Medicine of the Indian Society for Adult Immunization (ISAI), Science City, Kolkata, on 15 February 2025. The HPV vaccination implementation challenge The global landscape of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention reveals a mix of progress and persistent challenges. While 144 countries have introduced HPV vaccines nationally and vaccination has shown remarkable efficacy in reducing cervical cancer incidence, significant disparities persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence suggests that challenges in implementing and sustaining HPV vaccination programs in developing countries are significantly influenced by gaps between planning at national level and execution at local levels. Multiple studies confirm this disconnect as a primary barrier to effective HPV vaccination programmes. Traditional approaches to knowledge development in global health often rely on expert committee models characterized by hierarchical knowledge flows, formal …

Supporting Ukrainian children: New peer learning platform to rapidly expand and scale the network of practitioners across Europe

Supporting Ukrainian children: New peer learning platform to rapidly expand and scale the network of practitioners across Europe

Reda SadkiGlobal health

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) are launching PFA Connect, a new platform for education, social work, and health professionals who support children from Ukraine. The platform builds on a new peer learning network launched by IFRC and TGLF in 2024 that is already reaching more than 2,000 practitioners from 27 European countries. This network responds to a critical need: while traditional training provides essential foundations, professionals benefit most from exchanging practical solutions with peers facing similar challenges. “I felt like I was part of a community of like-minded people who care about children’s mental health,” shares Halyna Fedoryshyn, an education professional from Ukraine who earned her first PFA certificate in 2024. “I had the opportunity to expand my social contacts with professionals outside of Ukraine,” . “PFA” refers to Psychological first aid (PFA), a practical way to support …

Peer learning in immunisation programmes

Peer learning in immunization programmes

Reda SadkiGlobal health

The path to strengthening immunization systems requires innovative technical assistance approaches to learning and capacity building. A recent correspondence in The Lancet proposes peer learning in immunization programmes as a crucial mechanism for achieving the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), arguing for “an intentional, well coordinated, fit-for-purpose, data-driven, and government-led immunisation peer-learning plan of action.” This proposal merits careful examination, particularly as immunization programmes face complex challenges in reaching 2030 goals. Learn more: 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Beyond traditional knowledge exchange The Lancet commentary identifies several key rationales for peer learning in immunization. These insights point toward an important truth: traditional approaches to knowledge sharing – whether through technical guidelines, formal training, or policy exchange – remain necessary but increasingly insufficient for today’s challenges. The question becomes not just how to share what we know, but how to systematically generate new knowledge about …