County Measurements, Learning and Accountability Program: TUPIME KAUNTI SUMMARY REPORT ON COVID-19

The report highlights the key achievements, emerging opportunities, constraints, and lessons learned from the implementation of the program. The program aimed to provide technical assistance to the COVID-19 County level Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) in Nakuru, Kakamega, and Migori counties. The main intervention areas included strengthening the COVID-19 command and coordination system, surveillance and analytics, and data management and data quality assurance processes. Key achievements include co-creating COVID-19 workplans with the respective counties and USAID IPs, initiating key COVID-19 interventions in collaboration with the county governments and other partners, and strengthening the capacity of the counties to monitor COVID-19 response plans. The program also strengthened surveillance and analytics in the focus counties through approaches such as training county staff on the use of data analytics tools, visualizing COVID-19 data in GIS maps, and conducting routine analysis on daily and weekly basis. This enabled the county RRT teams to strategically intensify prevention measures in targeted locations. The COVID-19 command and coordination system was strengthened in all three focus counties, with Nakuru County achieving a functionality score of 71%, Migori County 67%, and Kakamega County 55%. The counties reviewed and improved their coordination structures, aligning them with the national EOC requirements. The program also demonstrated improved coordination and use of data, with data-driven decisions and strategies implemented in response to the rising number of staff infected by COVID-19. For example, in Kakamega County, a dedicated M&E officer was deployed to coordinate COVID-19 tracking, and in Nakuru County, the health leadership committed to upgrading Langa Sub-County hospital to an Infection Prevalence Centre. In Migori County, a Multi-sectoral COVID-19 Response and Post COVID-19 Plan was developed, providing a common framework for synchronization of strategies in COVID-19 response across the county sectors. The plan standardizes indicators for tracking and provides a reference for resource mobilization. The program also conducted a COVID-19 preparedness and compliance assessment in Nakuru County, which identified areas for improvement in infection prevention and control, case management, and contact tracing. As a result, the county rapid response team strengthened contact tracing coordination through the establishment of sub-county contact teams, leading to a reduction in contacts not traced from 10% in October 2020 to 4% in December 2020. The program's achievements demonstrate the importance of strengthening COVID-19 command and coordination systems, surveillance and analytics, and data management and data quality assurance processes in responding to the pandemic. The program's success in improving coordination and use of data has enabled the counties to make data-driven decisions and implement effective strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The program's lessons learned highlight the need for continued support for the counties in strengthening their COVID-19 response systems, improving data management and data quality assurance processes, and enhancing the capacity of the counties to monitor COVID-19 response plans. The program's achievements and lessons learned provide valuable insights for future programming and policy development in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.