UCH TASK FORCE ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC General Brief

UCH TASK FORCE ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC

General Brief

15 May 2020

BACKGROUND

In the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic declared by WHO on 11 March 2020, in Geneva, the UCH Management and that of the College of Medicine convened a meeting on 16 March 2020, to discuss the level of preparedness and plan of action on the COVID-19 pandemic as it would affect our institutions and the community at large. Broad Thematics were identified, one of which being Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and compliance with these prevention and control measures. To this end, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) authorised the constitution of a framework to articulate these measures. Consequently, in the aftermath of the inauguration of the Presidential Task Force on 17 March 2020 for the control of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the UCH Ibadan became the first to establish an institutional Task Force on 18 March with the inauguration of the UCH Task Force on COVID-19 at the Board Room by Prof Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo following a Press Conference on practical measures, based on global best practices, adopted by the University College Hospital, Ibadan, in the fight against COVID-19, for the protection of health and safety of patients, staff and the larger community.

AIM
To ensure compliance and enforcement of preventive measures regarding COVID-19 at all designated areas in the entire UCH community, including the Hospital and College of Medicine, Ibadan.

OBJECTIVES
1. To ensure active and proper screening with infrared thermometer by trained personnel at designated areas of the UCH and College of Medicine community
2. To ensure proper hand hygiene at all service/designated sections of the UCH and College Medicine College with the availability of necessary hand washing materials properly situated and maintained at the designated areas
3. To coordinate the distribution and appropriate use of PPEs for clinical services and other designated service portals in line with NCDC and WHO guidelines.
4. To actively observe and document crowd dynamics and also enforce appropriate crowd control measures at entry points and tagged areas of the UCH and College of Medicine community to minimise inherent risk of any large gatherings in potential COVID-19 spread by ensuring social distancing.
5. To identify any vulnerable areas within the UCH and College of Medicine Community and enforce applicable preventive measures to either eliminate or minimise the risks in all the key pillars of UCH Emergency Response to COVID-19 as follows:
A. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) including PPEs logistics
B. Case Management of Patients
C. Management of the Dead (MotD)
D. Surveillance and Contact Tracing
E. Central Coordination

MODALITY
The entire UCH Community is divided into six designated areas aligned with structure and function for ease of coordination.
• Six Task Force teams, one for each of the designated areas, with a squad containing enough members required for the scope of coverage. Altogether, there are 35 members of the Task Force for field operations, and there are Task Force Associates, some of whom are leaders of Unions and Associations, in UCH, who create more awareness about the activities of the Task Force amongst their members.
• Each Team comprises of a medical doctor, nurse, and any other relevant health and security personnel to reflect the range of professions and skills available in UCH.
• Each Task Force squad has a Team Leader who oversees the activities of the team and ensures prompt statutory reporting of team’s actions in line with the objectives of the Task Force.
• The Task Force teams undertake daily monitoring and enforcement rounds (alternating full rounds with spot checks), to all designated areas at the scheduled time. The conduct of daily rounds and need to increase or decrease the frequency is subject to review in line with the national and global outlook of the pandemic. Presently, an aggressive monitory and enforcement of prevention and control measures are being applied by the UCH Task Force to avert a worse COVID-19 outbreak in our community.
• The Task Force makes periodic containing a synopsis of observations, action taken and recommendation(s) as applicable and communicates with Management accordingly.
• The Task Force teams are empowered to take necessary on-the-spot-action at their respective designated areas towards achieving set objectives.
• The overall approach of the Task Force is corrective, trust-building, increased awareness and sensitisation. Nonetheless, there is a firm and consistent enforcement of stipulated general measures at preventing COVID-19.
• Each Taskforce conducts both briefing and debriefing sessions before and after embarking, respectively, on monitoring and enforcement routines.
• The work of the Task Force is intense and demanding of considerable time and efforts. This vital task at preserving the lives and wellbeing of citizens, at this critical period of COVID-19 pandemic and global emergency, takes precedent over other duties.
• There is a Central Coordination for the Task Force led by the Chairman, UCH Task Force on COVID-19, who is the Head of Operations for the Task Force. Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director is the overall Incident Commander for the COVID-19 in UCH.

EPILOGUE
The UCH Task Force is a practical demonstration of institutional strategy at prevention of an outbreak of COVID-19 by close monitoring and enforcement of prescribed measures at all areas of the University College Hospital and College of Medicine community. The mandate of the Task Force will be in effect until the COVID-19 pandemic is officially declared over by relevant national and international authorities.

UCH Ibadan remains the flagship of articulated institutional response in the country.