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. 2024 Oct 28;6(4):100407.
doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2024.100407. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Status of infection prevention and control in Cameroon healthcare facilities: lessons learned from the WHO COVID-19 scorecard tool under the hierarchy of control model

Boris Arnaud Kouomogne Nteungue  1   2 , Erick Tandi  3   4   5 , Chanceline Bilounga Ndongo  6   7 , Tania Bissouma-Ledjou  8 , Alphonse Acho  1   9 , Jeffrey Campbell  10 , Dieudonnée Reine Ndougou  11 , Reverien Habimana  12 , Ambomo Sylvie Myriam  11 , Bertolt Brecht Kouam Nteungue  13 , Oyono Yannick  13 , Louis Joss Bitang  14 , Georges Alain Etoundi Mballa  7   15 , Yap Boum  15   16
Affiliations

Status of infection prevention and control in Cameroon healthcare facilities: lessons learned from the WHO COVID-19 scorecard tool under the hierarchy of control model

Boris Arnaud Kouomogne Nteungue et al. Infect Prev Pract. .

Abstract

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) helps prevent disease transmission in healthcare facilities. There is a dearth of information on the implementation of IPC during the COVID-19 outbreak in Cameroon using the recommended WHO COVID-19 IPC scorecard tool. The present study assessed healthcare facilities' compliance to IPC by continuous assessments, with an evaluation of the tool using the hierarchy of control theory.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the 10 administrative regions of Cameroon by evaluating healthcare facilities prioritized by the Ministry of Public Health as high-risk facilities between March 2020 and November 2023. Comparisons were made regarding the facilities' ownership, level and status.

Results: 2,188 assessments from 1,358 healthcare facilities were collected. The median IPC scores at each evaluation were between the intermediate and advanced level, with a bias linked with decreasing selection of facilities. However, only 172 (13%) healthcare facilities achieved advanced IPC score (≥75%). Higher IPC scores were found in hospitals (p<0.001) and in private facilities (p=0.02). Predictors of good IPC compliance were hospital (OR=3.7, CI: 1.4-9.8) and private facility (OR=2.3, CI: 1.6-3.3). The tool met the five domains of the hierarchy of control model.

Conclusion: Repeated IPC assessments using recommended tools contribute to a better compliance of IPC by healthcare facilities in resources constrained settings.

Keywords: Cameroon; Healthcare facilities; Hierarchy of control; Infection prevention and control; Model; WHO IPC scorecard tool.

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Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Spaghetti diagram showing changes in healthcare facilities' IPC scores between assessment points.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sankey diagram of changes in IPC scores between assessment periods, for healthcare facilities that had multiple assessments. A(n) refers to the assessment period.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of the IPC assessments per category and per region.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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