Framework and toolkit for infection prevention and control in outbreak preparedness, readiness and response at the national level
Overview
Infectious disease epidemics and pandemics pose a major risk to global health, security and socioeconomic stability. From Ebola virus disease (EVD) to influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), outbreaks are increasing in frequency, scale and impact. Health care facilities can amplify emerging infectious diseases transmission within facilities, communities and across borders; evidence-based infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health care facilities are critical for preventing and containing outbreaks while still delivering safe, effective and quality health care. Investing in IPC capacity at the national and health care facility level will mitigate health-care-associated transmission risk and contribute to the timely outbreak containment. Strengthening IPC preparedness and readiness will lead to more robust responses, contain outbreaks and prevent health systems from becoming overwhelmed.
The framework and toolkit described here are target the prevention and control of communicable diseases with community outbreak potential, which may be amplified in the health care setting; this includes diseases transmitted via contact (blood and bodily fluids), droplets or airborne. The document is not meant to guide IPC management of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) that have limited community transmission.
To mount optimal IPC outbreak management using the strategies and actions in this document, it is preferable that national or subnational IPC programs are in place, supporting dedicated and trained IPC teams at the local and health care facility (HFC) level.
In countries where IPC is limited, it is crucial to start by evaluating the existing IPC capacity to establish the critical areas that are missing or need further development. Continually working towards the implementation of the core components for IPC programmes, beginning with the IPC minimum requirements will strengthen baseline systems, practices and outbreak response capacity.
