Strengthening Standardized Infection Prevention and Control Practices Across Jordan
Optimal infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are essential to support the provision of high-quality and safe health care services. Strengthening the capacities of IPC personnel is critical not only to protect patients but also to protect health care workers and decrease the spread of infections. In Jordan, the Advisory Committee for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) requested support from The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program to standardize IPC training across different sectors. In pursuit of MTaPS objective 4—enhancing pharmaceutical services, product availability, and patient-centered care— the collaboration between the Ministry of Health (MOH), Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC), and MTaPS has yielded significant advancements.
Group photo from the MOH certification ceremony for the IPC focal points from the hospitals during June 2023. Photo credit MTaPS Jordan.
Certified IPC Healthcare Preventionists at MOH Hospitals
MTaPS, in collaboration with HCAC, responded to the call for standardized IPC training. A certified IPC training curriculum was meticulously crafted, aligning with the identified priorities of the Accreditation Council for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), MOH, and the Royal Medical Services (RMS). The program identified IPC focal points from healthcare facilities and administrative units, sponsoring their training. The comprehensive curriculum on essential and up-to-date IPC best practices encompassed didactic sessions and practical components, enabling trainees to implement their newfound capacities within their respective facilities. Recognition ceremonies held by MTaPS in coordination with MOH acknowledged and certified 63 participants—35 from MOH and 28 from RMS—who completed this rigorous training program requirements.
Group photo from the RMS certification ceremony for the IPC focal points from the hospitals during June 2023. Photo credit MTaPS Jordan.
Expansion to Primary Healthcare Providers
Simultaneously, efforts extended to fortify infection control in primary healthcare (PHC) settings. MTaPS, alongside the MOH Infection Prevention and Control Department (IPCD), empowered IPC focal points from all 14 Health Administrative Directorates (HADs) in the country through extensive training sessions. The incorporation of training of trainers’ strategy equipped HAD IPC focal points to further train 68 IPC focal points from PHC centers across Jordan. This cascading approach ensured the institutionalization and sustainability of capacity-building efforts in IPC practices within PHC settings.
National IPC Assessment: Charting a Roadmap for a Unified IPC Practices in Dental Settings
The pursuit of standardized IPC practices within dental settings underwent significant strides as MTaPS developed a robust IPC assessment tool aligning with evidence-based international standards. In collaboration with the Epidemics Administration and the MOH Dental Directorate and IPCD MTaPS is setting the grounds for providing comprehensive technical and logistical support to conduct an IPC assessment encompassing dental clinics from both the MOH and the private sector during 2024.
These collaborative initiatives, spanning training, implementation, and national IPC assessment, lay the foundation for standardized infection prevention and control practices across Jordan’s healthcare spectrum. It empowers healthcare professionals, ensuring a unified approach toward safeguarding public health.
Snapshots from the IPC training sessions for PHC during February 2023. Photo credit MTaPS Jordan.