DRASA supports the institutionalization of IPC into Nigeria’s health system by:
1. Educating Health Workers: DRASA is part of the Center for Infection Control and Patient Safety (CICAPS) at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. Through CICAPS, we support the Diploma in Infection Prevention and Control (DIPC) and facilitate lectures for the Basic, Intermediate and Advanced levels of the university’s hands-on, diploma course.
2. Building Health Worker Capacity: We provide short training programs to equip both medical and non-medical personnel of all cadres on IPC – doctors, nurses, lab scientists, hygienists, cleaners and ambulance drivers, to name a few. Our hands-on IPC training and simulation exercises are customized to meet the needs of the health workers and health facilities we serve.
3. Conducting Site Assessments: We conduct on-site IPC assessments in hospitals, clinics and health centers to help health workers and managers determine their IPC gaps and challenges and develop action plans to address them.
4. Supporting IPC Programs: We support health facilities to establish or improve their IPC programs to ensure they are delivering quality, safe care to all patients. DRASA also plays a supportive role to a network of health facilities across the country (the Orange Network) which are centers of excellence in the practice of IPC, as a part of Nigeria’s IPC national strategy called Turn Nigeria Orange.
5. Developing IPC and Patient Safety Policies, Guidelines and Manuals: We support the implementation and review of national and state policies, manuals, and guidelines on IPC.