USAID MTaPS Program Supports Global Efforts to Combat COVID-19

Arlington, VA—May 19, 2020—The US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program announced that it will support the efforts of 13 countries, including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Uganda, to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will work with the governments on rapid scale-up of infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures, as well as strengthening IPC COVID-19 commodity emergency supply chains, with a focus on pandemic response. 

“We have already been collaborating with these host countries to strengthen their pharmaceutical systems, improving the availability, safety, and efficacy and use of medical products and related services that ensures attainment of desired health outcomes. The rapid scale-up of our work will both help them contain the coronavirus now and support sustainable, responsive health care into the future,” said Francis “Kofi” Aboagye-Nyame, MTaPS Program Director.

The pandemic-related assistance will include the following activities:

• Supporting national- and local-level COVID-19 task forces and IPC committees in conducting rapid assessments, developing, implementing, and monitoring rapid response action plans for containing the outbreak

• Developing and rapidly expanding the capacity of public and private health facilities, points of entry, and communities for proper application of COVID-19 precautions and safe and efficient management of early recognition, source control/isolation and triage of COVID-19 cases, facility access, surge capacity, and administrative controls

• Providing just-in-time training to prepare facilities and alternative care sites for quarantining 

• Developing guidance for patients, family members, caregivers, and facility visitors regarding isolation, rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and safe household and community practices 

• Training health workers on environmentally sound and safe medical waste management at the health-facility level 

• Supporting emergency supply chain preparedness in select countries at the national and facility levels, focusing on IPC commodities 

• Documenting identified IPC challenges and lessons learned for knowledge sharing and to contribute to the global learning agenda

MTaPS’ ongoing IPC activities put the program in a position to meet more countries’ response needs as they arise. Currently, the program works in 13 countries to build their IPC capacity as part of its support to the Global Health Security Agenda to contain antimicrobial resistance, which is a growing threat to national and global health security.

The program’s COVID-19 response draws on the immediate threat prevention and preparedness strategies recommended by the World Health Organization, CDC, and other global bodies. Its approach also builds upon existing national emergency preparedness and response plans and emphasizes collaboration with national rapid response teams.

About MTaPS

The USAID Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program enables low- and middle-income countries to strengthen their pharmaceutical systems, which is pivotal to achieving better health outcomes and higher-performing health systems. The program is implemented by a consortium of global and local partners, led by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health nonprofit.