As various health sector responders implement activities geared towards ending the spread of COVID-19, which over 2300 people in Sierra Leone has tested positive for, the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) unit in WHO Sierra Leone has embarked on a nationwide IPC assessment in all Government Hospitals and selected educational institutions in all the 16 districts of Sierra Leone.

Implemented along with the National Infection Prevention and Control Unit (NIPCU) of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Supportive Site Visits (SSV), an assessment of health facilities for IPC compliance, is a routine activity of the National Infection Prevention and Control Unit which is supported by WHO.  

With the reopening of schools in Sierra Leone, the National IPC unit also conducted a teachers’ training of trainers on IPC to limit or prevent the spread of COVID-19 at schools. This assessment of select schools to evaluate IPC compliance and identify gaps and challenges is in progress.

While the IPC teams conducting the assessment remain vigilant to ensure that no chances are taken with COVID-19, and that all facilities provide a safe clinical environment for patients, visitors and health workers through appropriate standards and practices that reduce the risk of contracting healthcare associated infections, the same cannot be said for the hospitals so far visited.

According to Dr. Ibrahim Franklyn Kamara, AMR Operational Research Fellow and member of the WHO IPC Team, most of the healthcare facilities scored a lower percentage as compared to quarter two assessments.

“A total of 8 district hospitals and 30 educational institutions were visited in 6 districts, and out of the 8 hospitals visited only one was IPC compliant and the others were either partially compliant or non-compliant” said Dr. Kamara.

The decline in compliance might be attributed to the reduction of routine Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) monitoring activities at facility levels, as these facilities are challenged with poor waste management, inadequate decontamination procedure of instruments and linens and poor Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities.

However, all hospitals visited had triage and screening areas with dedicated isolation units and many of them had IPC supplies such as Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR), liquid soap, gloves, face masks and Veronica buckets.

Findings from the school assessments suggest that there is a high level of awareness on IPC measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at these educational institutions. However, some of the public health and social measures such as social distancing and proper use of cloth masks are not been adhered to. Some of the schools are still struggling with inadequate WASH services and limited IPC supplies.