USAID Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program Ebola Response Monthly Report May 2021

The program is implemented by Management Sciences for Health and is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The MTaPS Program focuses on strengthening health systems, improving access to essential medicines, and enhancing the quality of pharmaceutical services. In the context of the Ebola response, the MTaPS Program provides technical assistance to countries to improve their preparedness and response to Ebola outbreaks. The program's activities include conducting rapid assessments of infection prevention and control (IPC) readiness, strengthening human and organizational IPC capacity, and monitoring compliance with IPC guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs). In Cote d'Ivoire, the MTaPS Program provided support to the IPC Task Force for the training of members from the six regional health teams of the western Ivorian border in IPC for Ebola from May 11-12 and 19-20, 2021. A total of 59 people were trained in IPC for Ebola, with a focus on 10 topics, including introduction to IPC, introduction to Ebola, hand hygiene, and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. The MTaPS Program also supported the IPC Task Force in conducting site visits in six health districts from the six target health regions in Cote d'Ivoire. The site visits were conducted from May 30-31, 2021, and evaluated the IPC readiness of five Regional Referral Hospitals and one General Hospital using the digital WHO scorecard on tablets. The scores obtained ranged from 38% to 67%, with the main gaps identified including triage station establishment, temperature and symptom control, and PPE use. In Mali, the MTaPS Program held a working session with the team from the Directorate General of Health (DGSHP) to plan the implementation of IPC Ebola activities for June 2021. The program also supported the organization of a virtual coordination meeting of the IPC sub-committee on May 11, 2021, which was attended by representatives from various organizations, including the Directorate General of Health, ANEH, WATERAID, UNICEF, and WHO. However, the implementation of IPC Ebola activities in Mali was delayed due to strike movements and a military coup at the national level. The workshop to revise IPC Ebola training modules and protocols was rescheduled for June 1-3, and the trainings/assessments will take place from June 13-July 3. In Rwanda, the MTaPS Program reviewed existing and developed additional technical materials on IPC Ebola, including training materials that cover Ebola virus disease epidemiology and control measures, infection prevention and control, and PPE use. The program also strengthened human and organizational IPC capacity and supported the development/adaptation of policy, frameworks, guiding documents, briefs, SOPs, strategies, tools, or systems. Overall, the MTaPS Program is working to improve the preparedness and response of countries to Ebola outbreaks through the provision of technical assistance and support to strengthen IPC capacity, improve access to essential medicines, and enhance the quality of pharmaceutical services.