AN ASSESSMENT OF INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL (IPC) PREPAREDNESS OF HEALTH FACILITIES TOWARDS CURBING LASSA FEVER OUTBREAK AND SPREAD IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

Introduction: Lassa fever is a disease of public health concern, particularly in West Africa, where the virus is endemic. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a scientific approach designed to prevent and control the spread of infection to patients and health workers. This study assessed the level of IPC Preparedness of Healthcare Facilities for the Lassa Fever outbreak in Ibadan Metropolis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a mixed data collection method. A multi-stage random sampling was used to select one hundred and forty-five study respondents. However, one hundred and thirty-eight were included in the analysis. Categorical variables were summarized using proportions. The Mann- Whitney U test was used to compare differences between the levels of healthcare facilities. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: Among 138 facilities visited, 54 (39.1%) reported not having an IPC program; 36 (26.1%) reported having a program with clearly defined objectives, and 48 (34.8%) reported having a program without clearly defined objectives. Seventy-one (51.4%) healthcare facilities have expertise in developing IPC guidelines. Many healthcare facilities (133; 96.4%) have guidelines for standard precautions. 123 (89.1%) of healthcare facilities had transmission-based precautions; 84 (60.9%) had guidelines for outbreak management and preparedness; 86 (62.3%) had guidelines for the prevention of surgical site infection. Ninety-three (67.4%) of facilities regularly monitor the implementation of IPC guidelines while 45 (32.6%) do not. Seventy-two (52.2%) facilities had no IPC expertise while 66 (47.8%) had IPC expertise. Seventy-one (51.4%) facilities had sufficient energy/power at day and night; 39 (28.3%) had energy/power in some areas and 28 (20.3%) had no energy/power at day and night. Ninety-eight (71.0%) facilities had PPE in sufficient quantities; 36 (26.1%) had PPE but not in sufficient quantities and 4 (2.9%) had no PPE. Fifty-one (37.0%) facilities had a functional incinerator; 13 (9.4%) had an incinerator but not functional and 74 (53.8%) had no incinerator for the treatment of infectious and sharp waste Forty-four (31.9%) facilities had an advanced level of IPC preparedness; 45 (32.6%) had an intermediate level; 41 (29.7%) had a basic level while 8 had an inadequate level of IPC preparedness. A higher proportion (38.5%) of secondary facilities had an advanced level of IPC preparedness compared to primary facilities. A higher proportion of private facilities had an advanced level of IPC preparedness compared to public facilities. There was a significant difference in the level of IPC preparedness between primary and secondary health (Z=-2.192, p=0.028). Conclusion: IPC is paramount in reducing the spread and control of infections. From the findings of this study, all healthcare facilities assessed demonstrated some level of IPC practices, and the majority required significant improvements. Challenges to IPC preparedness included a lack of infrastructure, insufficient IPC training, inadequate supply of IPC materials, shortage of manpower, and lack of government policies. A multi-faceted approach is necessary to address these challenges. Keywords: Infection, prevention and control, healthcare facilities, challenges, solutions, Lassa fever