Plague Response Report Supporting the Ministry of Health

Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperative agreement that aims to introduce and support high-stakes health interventions in 25 countries, including Madagascar. In Madagascar, MCSP provides strategic support to the Ministry of Health (MOH) by strengthening policies and overall governance to achieve country maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and family planning (FP) goals. MCSP's program is designed to address several weaknesses in the health system, including weak district capacity to address clinical skill-building and regular supervision, frequent stock-outs of essential commodities, and a lack of capacity for routine monitoring and data-driven decision-making. During the plague epidemic in 2017, health providers were at high risk of infection due to gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). To improve the capacity of providers to respond to the plague emergency, MCSP collaborated with the MOH and other partners to develop a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids. The program aimed to improve timely recognition and management of plague cases, including improved referral and counter-referral processes in program-supported facilities. MCSP also strengthened the skills of 450 providers in IPC and plague case management during outbreaks, and supported the implementation of IPC measures at 12 hospitals in five regions. The program prioritized regions with high numbers of plague cases, including Analamanga, Atsinanana, Haute Matsiatra, Vakinankaratra, and Alaotra Mangoro. To achieve its objectives, MCSP collaborated with the MOH at the central and regional levels, and participated in national technical working groups (TWG) to coordinate interventions with organizational partners. The program also conducted follow-up on the delivery of IPC commodities to ensure that requests were addressed. MCSP's approach to strengthening the health system to sustain the national plague response focused on developing a standardized training approach and curriculum for all cadres of health providers. The program capitalized on MCSP's experience working in the 16 USAID priority regions, and centered on the development of a pool of national and regional trainers who could roll out training of providers through cascading trainings to reach more facilities and providers in a short time. The program also conducted training-of-trainers (TOT) sessions in 5 USG regions, building the capacity of other regions to update their providers during quarterly reviews or other training opportunities. MCSP supported the development of a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids, which was validated by the subcommittee and the MOH. The program's results included the development of a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids, and the strengthening of the skills of 450 providers in IPC and plague case management during outbreaks. MCSP also supported the implementation of IPC measures at 12 hospitals in five regions, and conducted training-of-trainers (TOT) sessions in 5 USG regions. The program's success stories included the development of a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids, which was validated by the subcommittee and the MOH. MCSP also strengthened the skills of 450 providers in IPC and plague case management during outbreaks, and supported the implementation of IPC measures at 12 hospitals in five regions. The program's achievements during the period of 01 September 2017 to 28 February 2018 included the development of a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids, and the strengthening of the skills of 450 providers in IPC and plague case management during outbreaks. MCSP also supported the implementation of IPC measures at 12 hospitals in five regions, and conducted training-of-trainers (TOT) sessions in 5 USG regions. The program's collaboration with the MOH and partners via national technical working groups (TWG) was a key component of its success. MCSP actively participated in the TWG coordinating provider trainings, and was a key member of the subcommittee in charge of building capacity, which included representatives from the MOH's Service de Formation et Perfectionnement du Personnel (SFPP) and the Division Peste (Plague Division). The program's approach to strengthening the health system to sustain the national plague response was centered on developing a standardized training approach and curriculum for all cadres of health providers. The program also conducted follow-up on the delivery of IPC commodities to ensure that requests were addressed. The program's success stories included the development of a national curriculum on plague management, IPC, and IPC job aids, which was validated by the subcommittee and the MOH. MCSP also strengthened the skills of