Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health threats worldwide. In order to ensure the best treatment for infected patients that MSF receives in our facility but also in order to rationalize the use of antibiotics to decrease the selection pressure, MSF tries to implement microbiology laboratory for vulnerable population most affected by bacterial infections: war wounded patients, malnourished children, HIV patients…
The access to a microbiology laboratory is a part of the multidisciplinary approach that is currently implemented including the implementation of antibiotic stewardship program but also the reinforcement of infection prevention control (IPC).
In order to access to microbiology diagnostic tests, different strategies are possible:
- Implementation from scratch of 100% MSF microbiology laboratory
- Identification in countries local laboratories that needs support in term of supply or training or quality insurance and provides the support
Activities
Implementation of a Microbiology laboratory:
- Collaborate with the logistics to adapt the premises to the needs of the laboratory
- Collaborate with the pharmacy to set up a supply system
- Installation of all equipment with Biomed
- Recruitment of laboratory technicians
- Training of laboratory technicians
- Set up all the tests and a fluid organization in the laboratory
- Put in place all the quality controls
- Set up communication circuits for test requests and results
- Participate in training nurses for sample collection
- Set up a documentation system
- Participate in data collection
Support for Strengthening quality in a local laboratory:
- Collaborate with local laboratory staff
- Identify the training needs of non-MSF staff
- Identify the need for additional staff
- Implementation of targeted training
- Support the implementation of valid quality controls and standard procedures by MSF and the local structure
