Ebola News: JSI Awarded OFDA Contract to Scale-up Infection Prevention and Control Training in Liberia

BOSTON, Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John Snow, Inc. (JSI), has been awarded a $3.8 million contract by USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to improve infection prevention and control practices among health care workers throughout Ebola-impacted Liberia. The Rapid Response for Infection Prevention and Control initiative will curb transmission of the Ebola virus in non-Ebola treatment units. The new initiative is designed to prevent the epidemic from spreading across health facilities that are not currently dedicated to treating Ebola patients. By integrating IPC training in health facilities, Liberia's health system will be well-equipped for many years to come.

JSI has been at the frontlines of the Ebola response in Liberia since early days of the epidemic. Through this new OFDA contract, JSI will expand current training in infection prevention and control (IPC) for health workers and health facility support staff, and distribute much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to health facilities across the country. The training will begin in the eight counties with the highest Ebola incidence and highest number of infected health care workers.

"Through this program," said Luigi Cicciò, JSI Project Director, "We hope to build on existing efforts and help turn the tide of this epidemic, preventing it from spreading beyond the most highly impacted areas."

JSI has worked closely with the MOHSW to develop standard operating procedures for each level of Ebola care: households, communities, community care centers and clinics, and health centers. The new IPC curriculum, Stay Safe and Keep Serving, developed by JSI with the MOHSW, WHO, CDC, and other partners, is aligned with these procedures to ensure protocol consistency across the country.

Once training is complete, all trained health workers will receive a three-month supply of PPE. JSI will oversee quality assurance visits to facilities using supervision protocols developed to ensure that IPC practices are followed and that appropriate PPE are consistently available.

JSI will also develop distribution systems to provide trained health workers with a reliable supply of PPE appropriate to the level of risk at each facility. The safe disposal of soiled materials—waste management—is also a critical component of the training.

As of November 2, the Ebola epidemic had killed 2,697 people in Liberia, with 315 health care workers infected and 157 health workers having died from the disease, according to WHO. These deaths have taken a tremendous toll on the country, whose health system was still recovering from a 14-year civil war with understaffed health services even before the epidemic hit.

JSI has been assisting the Liberian government to rebuild its primary health care system since 2006, shortly after the civil war ended. Since July 2014, all project activities have focused on Ebola. JSI is providing support to national committees on infection prevention and control, case management, frontline health worker training at all levels, logistics, and contact tracing.

JSI is a public health consulting firm dedicated to improving and promoting public health in the United States and across the globe. JSI works across a full range of public and community health areas, strengthening health systems to improve services—and ultimately, people's health.

Contact:
Penelope Riseborough, 617-482-9485
Jay Heavner, 703-528-7474

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SOURCE John Snow, Inc.

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