Facility Assessment Report on Infection Prevention and Control Compliance of Priority HIV Healthcare Facilities

In the Philippines, the program is supporting the Department of Health (DOH) in advancing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention and care. The program is implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The MTaPS Program has been working with the DOH to strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in HIV care facilities. The program collaborated with the DOH bureaus, namely the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) and the Health Facilities Development Bureau (HFDB), to develop an IPC assessment tool and perform assessments on IPC practices in 30 HIV outpatient care facilities. The facilities assessed include 13 community-based organizations (CBOs) and 17 Social Hygiene Clinics (SHCs) in the priority PEPFAR regions of Region III, National Capital Region (NCR), and Region IV-A. The IPC assessment tool was co-developed by the USAID MTaPS and DOH HFDB and is applicable to HIV outpatient care health facilities. The tool assesses existing IPC practices and identifies gaps that need improvement. The tool has twelve components covering different aspects of IPC, including administrative systems, construction and renovation, and personal protective equipment (PPE) management. The assessments revealed that the facilities had varying levels of compliance with IPC requirements and practices. The results showed that some facilities had strong IPC practices in place, while others had significant gaps in their IPC management systems. The assessments also identified challenges in implementing IPC practices, including limited resources, inadequate training, and lack of awareness among healthcare workers. To address these challenges, the MTaPS Program employed a blended learning approach to build the capacity of target audiences on IPC and improve compliance with IPC requirements and practices. The program provided training and mentoring sessions to healthcare workers and facility administrators, and also conducted IPC orientation webinars to raise awareness on IPC practices. The program also developed an IPC improvement action plan to address the gaps identified in the assessments. The plan includes recommendations for improving IPC practices, such as enhancing administrative systems, improving PPE management, and increasing awareness among healthcare workers. The results of the assessments and the implementation of the IPC improvement action plan are expected to contribute to the reduction of COVID-19 transmission among healthcare workers and people living with or at risk to HIV visiting the healthcare facilities. The program's efforts to strengthen IPC practices in HIV care facilities are critical in ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare workers, and in achieving the country's commitment to advancing HIV prevention and care.