A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone
Background: The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak exposed the poor laboratory systems in Sierra Leone. Immense needs were recognised across all areas, from facilities, diagnostic capacity, supplies, trained personnel to quality assurance mechanisms. Objective: We aimed to describe the first year of a compre...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2019-10-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/885 |
| _version_ | 1811291344074702848 |
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| author | Annelies W. Mesman Musa Bangura Sahr M. Kanawa Joseph S. Gassimu Kerry L. Dierberg Mohamed M. Sheku J. Daniel Orozco Regan H. Marsh |
| author_facet | Annelies W. Mesman Musa Bangura Sahr M. Kanawa Joseph S. Gassimu Kerry L. Dierberg Mohamed M. Sheku J. Daniel Orozco Regan H. Marsh |
| author_sort | Annelies W. Mesman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak exposed the poor laboratory systems in Sierra Leone. Immense needs were recognised across all areas, from facilities, diagnostic capacity, supplies, trained personnel to quality assurance mechanisms.
Objective: We aimed to describe the first year of a comprehensive intervention, which started in 2015, in a public hospital’s general laboratory serving a population of over 500 000 in a rural district.
Methods: The intervention focused on (1) supporting local authorities and healthcare workers in policy implementation and developing procedures to enhance access to services, (2) addressing gaps by investing in infrastructure, supplies, and equipment, (3) development of quality assurance mechanisms via mentorship, bench-side training, and the introduction of quality control and information systems. All work was performed alongside counterparts from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Results: We observed a strong increase in patient visits and inpatient and outpatient testing volumes. Novel techniques and procedures were taken up well by staff, leading to improved and expanded service and safety, laying foundations for further improvements.
Conclusion: This comprehensive approach was successful and the results suggest an increase in trust from patients and healthcare workers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:27:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4df88027f8a40f7960688c7f7d20e36 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2225-2002 2225-2010 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:27:50Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4df88027f8a40f7960688c7f7d20e362022-12-22T03:02:27ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Laboratory Medicine2225-20022225-20102019-10-0181e1e710.4102/ajlm.v8i1.885238A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra LeoneAnnelies W. Mesman0Musa Bangura1Sahr M. Kanawa2Joseph S. Gassimu3Kerry L. Dierberg4Mohamed M. Sheku5J. Daniel Orozco6Regan H. Marsh7Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; and, Partners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsPartners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsMinistry of Health and Sanitation, KoiduPartners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsPartners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; and, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, New York University, New York, New YorkMinistry of Health and Sanitation, KoiduPartners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsDepartment of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; and, Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; and, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsBackground: The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak exposed the poor laboratory systems in Sierra Leone. Immense needs were recognised across all areas, from facilities, diagnostic capacity, supplies, trained personnel to quality assurance mechanisms. Objective: We aimed to describe the first year of a comprehensive intervention, which started in 2015, in a public hospital’s general laboratory serving a population of over 500 000 in a rural district. Methods: The intervention focused on (1) supporting local authorities and healthcare workers in policy implementation and developing procedures to enhance access to services, (2) addressing gaps by investing in infrastructure, supplies, and equipment, (3) development of quality assurance mechanisms via mentorship, bench-side training, and the introduction of quality control and information systems. All work was performed alongside counterparts from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Results: We observed a strong increase in patient visits and inpatient and outpatient testing volumes. Novel techniques and procedures were taken up well by staff, leading to improved and expanded service and safety, laying foundations for further improvements. Conclusion: This comprehensive approach was successful and the results suggest an increase in trust from patients and healthcare workers.https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/885sierra leoneinterventiondistrict hospitaldiagnosticsservice expansionmentorship |
| spellingShingle | Annelies W. Mesman Musa Bangura Sahr M. Kanawa Joseph S. Gassimu Kerry L. Dierberg Mohamed M. Sheku J. Daniel Orozco Regan H. Marsh A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone African Journal of Laboratory Medicine sierra leone intervention district hospital diagnostics service expansion mentorship |
| title | A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone |
| title_full | A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone |
| title_fullStr | A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone |
| title_short | A comprehensive district-level laboratory intervention after the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone |
| title_sort | comprehensive district level laboratory intervention after the ebola epidemic in sierra leone |
| topic | sierra leone intervention district hospital diagnostics service expansion mentorship |
| url | https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/885 |
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