Strengthening Human Resource and Institutional Capacity in Health Care Waste Management and Infection Prevention and Control within the Department of Health and the Regions of the Philippines

This increased exposure to infectious diseases necessitates enhancing health system resilience against climate risks. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) program developed the human resource and institutional capacity of the Department of Health (DOH) in healthcare waste management (HCWM), infection prevention and control (IPC), and emergency supply chain preparedness and response from 2019 to 2024. MTaPS partnered with the DOH to implement Climate Risk Mitigation (CRM) measures for procurement and supply chain management (PSCM). This collaboration aimed to design and implement responsive initiatives focusing on HCWM, IPC, and emergency SCM, with the goal of achieving effective and efficient PSCM practices. A 5-year roadmap (2020-2024) was developed, and a collaborative approach was employed to strengthen human resources and institutional capacity of the DOH on CRM and integrated sustainability strategies. Institutionalization of trainings in the DOH Academy was a key intervention. In 2020, MTaPS developed and delivered webinars on IPC, HCWM, and emergency supply chain as part of the COVID-19 response in collaboration with DOH and development sector partners. These materials were converted into eLearning format and uploaded into the DOH Academy in 2021. Since 2021, 8,629 people received training on HCWM, 8,135 people received training on IPC, and 2,486 people received training on emergency supply chain through the DOH Academy as of February 2024. Evidence-based mentoring support to health facilities was another critical intervention. MTaPS together with the DOH and other development partners developed assessment tools to help hospitals cope and respond to the demand of COVID-19 pandemic on IPC, HCWM, and emergency SCM. Using the assessment tools, MTaPS assessed 42 hospitals and mentored HCWs on how to improve their practices on HCWM, IPC, and emergency supply chain responses in accordance with national standards and best practices. Building qualified trainers at the Center for Health Development (CHD) level was also a key objective. In 2022, MTaPS together with the Health Facilities Development Bureau (HFDB) built a pool of qualified trainers for the respective National IPC and HCWM Standard Manuals at the CHD level. MTaPS then handed over the training materials that can be used by CHDs for the roll-out training. As of 2023, 5 regions completed the roll-out training for HCWM, and a total of 251 participants were trained. For IPC, 5 regions completed the roll-out training, and a total of 198 participants were trained. Effective and efficient management of supply chain was achieved through the development and roll-out of the DOH's Warehouse Operations Manual (WOM) and Electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS). The WOM includes standard processes for handling emergency responses, pharmaceutical wastes, and reverse logistics in warehouse management to institutionalize sustainable supply chain practices. The eLMIS is configured on a first expiry-first out basis to alert HCWs and help reduce the risk of expiry in warehouses and health facilities. Advancing data use was also a critical component of the program. MTaPS emphasized the importance of systematic quantification and periodic monitoring of stock availability and consumption in institutionalizing an efficient and effective PSCM system to mitigate climate risks relevant to pharmaceutical wastages. In 2023, MTaPS conducted an advanced quantification training workshop for 10 participants from DOH and an online quantification orientation to 295 participants from across the country.