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Evaluating Laboratory Systems to Move toward Accreditation in Côte d’Ivoire

In 2017, in collaboration with the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (MSHP), the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (LNSP), and a local accreditation organization, the Regional Center for Health Evaluation and Accreditation (CRESAC), I-TECH conducted a baseline assessment of laboratory services at 50 laboratories across Côte d’Ivoire.

The purpose of the joint assessment was to determine the laboratory’s capacity to provide HIV and clinical diagnostic services. More specifically, I-TECH aimed to determine the number of laboratorians and HIV counseling and testing staff trained and certified in HIV testing; the quality and timeliness of HIV and clinical diagnostic tests; and the status of each laboratory in order to prepare them for laboratory accreditation under the SLIPTA (WHO’s Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation) scheme.

Strengthening Laboratory Policy in Côte d’Ivoire

In 2017, Côte d’Ivoire’s National Public Health Reference Laboratory (LNSP) and I-TECH convened a series of strategic planning meetings with the objective of reviewing and updating the vision, mission, and objectives of the previous National Laboratory Strategic Plan. These meetings and collaboration with various partners resulted in a revised plan, the 2017-2022 National Laboratory Strategic Plan.

The five-year strategic plan was agreed upon by representatives from key ministry structures, donors, and other stakeholders with influence on the laboratory system. Their joint actions resulted in a common mission: “To provide a biological diagnosis of quality to the populations living in Côte d’Ivoire by using reliable tests, carried out according to national and international guidelines, in compliance with quality assurance procedures, biosafety procedures, biosecurity and bioethics.”

Strengthening the Community Healthcare Worker (CHW) Program in South Africa

I-TECH has supported the South African Government’s National Department of Health (NDoH) to strengthen its community health workers (CHWs) program so that it promotes linkage, adherence, and retention in HIV care and treatment. The program also aimed to improve HIV care and treatment, and patient outcomes by addressing knowledge and skills gaps that result in low performance related to HIV Care and Treatment indicators.

I-TECH collaborated with the NDoH, district support partners (DSPs), and educational institutions to implement a CHW skills development program to train over 22, 000 CHWs, making strides toward achieving the UNAIDS targets.

Strengthening Regional Training Centres in South Africa

I-TECH supported Regional Training Centers (RTCs) across provinces in South Africa to increase their capacity to coordinate in-service trainings, with an emphasis on reaching the 90-90-90 targets. I-TECH strengthened the capacity of RTC management to coordinate, consolidate, implement and evaluate training activities and supported the rollout of national priority programs such as adult primary care; training initiatives to enable nurses to deliver tests and offer services, and develop the capacity of RTCs to promote alternative service delivery models, particularly adherence clubs. Additionally, I-TECH supported the National Department of Health (NDoH) through the RTCs to roll out a national recruitment and retention strategy and in-service learning strategy, to ensure appropriate human resources for health within public health service. I-TECH also provided continuous technical support for the development of a distance learning program and supported the recruitment and placement of technical personnel at NDoH to support RTCs and offer logistical support for quarterly training review stakeholders meetings.

Key Populations Sensitization Training for Health Care Workers in South Africa

I-TECH South Africa supported the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive sensitization and capacity development pilot intervention with the following objective: sensitize clinical and non-clinical staff at the primary care and community levels on issues related to stigma and discrimination as they relate to five key populations (men who have sex with men, people in prisons and other closed settings, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people).