IPC Guinea – Project to Support Infection Prevention and Control in Health Facilities in Guinea

Improving the effectiveness of healthcare by promoting infection prevention and control

Strengthening health services in Guinea

The Project to Support Infection Prevention and Control in Health Facilities in Guinea (IPC Guinea) aims to improve the effectiveness of care through cross-cutting action on infection prevention and control (IPC), which will also restore citizens’ confidence in the health system.

The action of IPC Guinea involves mobilising the various stakeholders in good governance in healthcare (professionals, users, researchers and decision-makers), by strengthening the formal and informal accountability tools (implementation of standards and improvement of knowledge).

An optimal management of IPC

The objective of the IPC Guinea project is to sustainably improve the health of the population in Guinea by preventing and controlling infections when care is provided. This involves three main areas:

• Establishing a better and more inclusive governance of infection prevention and control (IPC) activities at the central level, in decentralised services and in health facilities;

• Building the capacities and tools of health workers;

• Community ownership of hygiene practices and the expression of rights.

Impacts of the IPC Guinea project

IPC Guinea is based on three components that correspond to its three levels of operation: central, regional and community. It is contributing to the implementation of specific activities in these three areas.

At the central level:

Strengthening the governance applied to the central functions of the Ministry of Health, in particular the Hygiene and Safety Division of the DNEHHS (National Department of Hospitals and Health Hygiene).

At the regional level:

Measurably and sustainably improving the hygiene of the premises and medical acts in the health facilities of three large regions, regulated by more effective and better equipped decentralised governance.

At the community level:

Increasing the knowledge and mobilisation of users by:

• Supporting community stakeholders, with the aim of empowering and giving a greater voice to communities, particularly women;
• Professionalising the institutional mass communication of the Ministry of Health by developing appropriate and inclusive communication on issues related to infection prevention and control.