PASQUALE 4-S
Partnership to Improve Patient Safety and Care: Final Phase for Sustainability
Context
Guinea is a lower-middle-income country in Western Africa and holds a complex burden of disease with malaria, respiratory diseases, stroke, diarrheal diseases, and preterm birth complications as the top causes of death. The African region has limited infection prevention and control (IPC) capacities, with healthcare-associated infections (HAI) surveillance being the least developed component. The Faranah region is one of Guinea’s eight regions with the highest neonatal and maternal mortality rates in the country. This makes it a priority to implement activities that can be sustainably integrated in the regional healthcare system: The project continues with two local in-hospital production sites for alcohol-based hand rub. It also re-activates a network of IPC trainers and will develop an IPC improvement plan for safer clinical and laboratory practices. In addition, it will conduct operational research on HAIs. PASQUALE is a longstanding partnership between the RKI and the Faranah Region Health Inspection (Inspection Régionale de la Santé, IRS) since 2017, spanning three project phases. The project is implemented in close and trusting collaboration between the RKI and two departments of the Ministry of Health in Guinea, as well as the Faranah Regional Hospital.
Objective
Sustainable integration of infection prevention and control measures and improved surveillance of nosocomial infections in regional and prefectural hospitals in the Faranah region of Guinea
In Cooperation with
- Ministry of Health Guinea, Direction Régional de la Santé – Regional Health Inspector, Faranah Region, Guinea (IRS)
- Ministry of Health, Direction Préfectorale de la Santé – Prefectural Health Directorate, Faranah Region, Guinea (DPS)
- Faranah Regional Hospital (FRH), Faranah, Guine
Thematic priorities
Facts
Activities
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Research and provision of evidence
The project conducts a follow-up study on postoperative infections following a caesarean section at the Faranah Regional Hospital.
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Networking and cooperation
The project strengthens the networking and coordination of an IPC trainer network at the regional and prefectural levels, with the support of national IPC contact persons through workshops and ad-hoc meetings.
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Capacity building
The project promotes sustainable local production of alcohol-based hand rub. It also advances clinical IPC practices, particularly in the maternity ward of the Faranah Regional Hospital. In addition, it improves laboratory capacities in the area of nosocomial surveillance.
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Training and competence development
The project conducts IPC-specific training, especially for healthcare workers in the maternity ward. It also provides training for laboratory technicians in the field of nosocomial surveillance and antibiotic resistance with the support of the National Public Health Institute Conakry, Guinea.
