This short commentary about the African Health OER Network was published by the African Journal of Health Professions Education, December 2010, Vol. 2, No. 2.

A complete blood count (CBC), also known as full blood count (FBC) or full blood exam (FBE) or blood panel, is a test requested by a doctor or other medical professional that gives information about the cells in a patient's blood.

This experiment demonstrates the effect of muscarinic agonists and its parasympathetic effects such as lacrimation (shedding of red tears), salivation, defaecation, urination pilo-erection, rhinorrhea, sweating and labored breathing.This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.

Pictures are very important complimentary teaching materials. They provide vivid visual impressions to aid clinical students in making diagnosis. This clinical materials were captured during clinical sessions on ward rounds and specialist consultations. The case scenarios developed around the pictures are intended to achieve the following objectives.

Defines what "Out of Range Values" are and how to account for them in data collection and statistical analysis.

This programme consists of notes and demonstration videos that explain how to examine a near-term, pregnant woman. In the course of the programme, the learner will encounter the terms used to describe the relationship of the fetus to the mother's anatomy, and they will be expect to interpret and describe the findings of an examination on video, using these terms.

An isolated frog heart preparation is useful in the study of cardiac cell excitation. The small size of the frog's heart means that drugs applied to the outside of the heart will peneterate the myocardium and modify the functions of the heart's cardiac chambers. Thus, the effect of the autonomic neurotransmitter substance together with their modification by other drugs can be studied by addition of these agents to the heart.This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.

HIV antibody tests are specifically designed for routine diagnostic testing of adults; these tests are inespensive and extremely accurate. Most people develop detectable antibodies approximately 30 days after infection, although some seroconvert later. The vast majority of people (99%) have detectable antibody by three months after HIV infection; a six month window is extremely rare with modern antibody testing.

This programme demonstrates in a video lesson the procedure in determining whether there is adequate number of red blood cell in circulation. The procedure covers the description of the laboratory instruments and materials that are used in such tests. At the end of the procedure, an observation of the test result is made and interpreted with the use of a microscope.

This programme demonstrates in a video lesson the procedure in determining whether there is adequate number of white blood cell in circulation. The procedure covers the description of the laboratory instruments and materials that are used in such tests. At the end of the procedure, and observation of the test result is made and interpreted with the use of a microscope.

This comprehensive module explores common laboratory experiments for microbiology, including microbiological stains (e.g. Gram stains), assessing the accuracy of diagnostic tests, measuring antibody response to infection, and Detection of microbial antigens, and nucleic acid amplification (e.g. Polymerase Chain Reaction).

This module contains a series of demonstration videos on how to do isolated smooth muscle preparation in vitro using the Harvard Kymograph simulator. This series is complementary to the video Setting Up the Harvard Kymograph.This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.

Malaria is a disease caused by four identified spicies of Plasmodia, namely Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae. It is transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito. It is a disease that can be treated in just 48hrs, yet it can cause fatal complications if the diagnosis and treatment are delayed. It is re-emerging as the the number one infectious killer and it is the number on priority tropical disease of the World Health Organization.

This module provides a structured way of observing and describing a patient's current state of mind, under the domains of appearance, attitude, behavior, mood and affect, speech, thought process, thought content, perception, cognition, insight and judgment. There are some minor variations in the subdivision of the Mental State Examination (MSE) and the sequence and names of MSE domains.

This pharmacological procedure demonstrates the procedure in a pregnancy test.Ę The One Step Pregnancy Test Strip would be used in the test, utilizing a combination of antibodies including a monoclonal hCG antibody to selectively detect elevated levels of hCG.

As part of the Hewlett Foundation grant for the African Health OER Network, Professor Ken Harley (University of KwaZulu-Natal) conducts an annual external evaluation of the project. For his 2009 evaluation, Prof Harley interviewed participants at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Ghana (UG), University of Cape Town (UCT), University of the Western Cape (UWC), the South African Institute of Distance Education (Saide) and the University of Michigan (U-M). In 2010, he conducted follow-up interviews with the same institutions. The 2010 evaluation was aimed at exploring institutional experiences, to establish how the project was being consolidated, and to start assessing issues of sustainability. Based on document analysis and institutional interviews, broadly, the evaluation concludes that:The African Health OER Network has supported institutions to develop OER based on institutional needs and choices. This in itself is a signifier of sustainability.Because of the modelling of OER production along institutional needs and choices, institutions have produced OER that are consistent with their Ňethos, contextual realities, strategies and resources.Ó In other words, what is being produced will be utilised in the institution and is not designed for Ôshow and tellŐ to meet funder requirements.The development of OER has encouraged institutions to reconsider their policies on OER and also how they can support OER within their own means.

OER may be distributed in a variety of formats, including electronically online, removable media (e.g. CD/DVD, or USB), and/or paper hard copies. In order to maximize its reach and visibility, OER is often distributed online which introduces new considerations such as managing file size and selecting appropriate descriptive data (commonly referred to as metadata). File size is an especially important consideration as small manageable files can be more easily downloaded in bandwidth-constrained areas. As part of the African Health OER Network, completed OER are often hosted on multiple servers: an institutional server, the official Network web space with OER Africa, and on the University of Michigan (U-M) Open Michigan website.The aim of these guidelines is to encourage the creation of OER that is easily discoverable, accessible, and adaptable.

The video demonstrates the setting up of the isolated tissue/organ bath. It identifies the components of the equipment and describes the functions of each. This procedure also shows adjustments, suitable for related isolated tissue preparations.This series is complementary to the video Setting Up the Harvard Kymograph.This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.

The Harvard Kymograph with stimulator is a piece of equipment that enables the recording of contractions of muscles from isolated issue preparations. In order to obtain the best results, suitable adjustment for the preparations should be made. This video demonstrates all possible adjustments that can be made for the best results. The apparatus also enables the worker to treat an isolated tissue preparation with drugs and to record some form of biological activity.This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.