Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Programme in Tajikistan
Endline assessment report
Highlights
In recent years, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MoHSPP) of the Republic of Tajikistan has achieved notable advancements in implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC). This progress includes the establishment of a multisectoral Technical Working Group on IPC, as well as the development of several key policy and strategic documents. Among these are the National IPC Guidelines, which serve as a foundation for invigorating the implementation of IPC measures at the level of health-care facilities.
In 2022, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF,) the MoHSPP launched initiatives to improve infection control through various health projects. These activities focused on revising the National IPC Guidelines and developing standard operating procedures (SOPs). A key aspect of this initiative was to build the capacity of health-care workers and health-system managers in the field of IPC. For instance, in order to improve the surveillance of health-care associated infections (HCAIs), the MoHSPP issued special order (# 133, 2019) for the timely registration and reporting of infectious diseases including HCAIs. However, real progress at the grassroots level is constrained by insufficient awareness and understanding among managers and staff in primary and secondary health facilities.
Poor IPC practices are a factor in child and maternal mortality in Tajikistan. MoHSPP statistics affirm that in 2023, around 70 per cent of deaths of children under five years of age occurred among children younger than 12 months, and 87 per cent of neonatal death occurred during the first week of life.1 Many of these deaths are attributable to causes related to poor quality of care and HCAI resulting from unsafe environments, including inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) at facilities.
Part of the initiative ‘Infection Prevention and Control for Improved Quality Health Care in Tajikistan’, this endline assessment of infection prevention and control (IPC) in Tajikistan was conducted under the European Union (EU) funded Health Development Programme
(2020–2025) to evaluate progress made since the baseline assessment. The assessment provides the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MoHSPP) of Tajikistan with critical, evidence-based insights to advance infection prevention efforts and
strengthen the quality of preventive and curative care services.
