Hospital preparedness for Ebola virus disease: a training course in the Philippines

Authors

  • Celia Carlos Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Rowena Capistrano Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Charissa Fay Corazon Borja-Tobora Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Mari Rose De Los Reyes Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Socorro Lupisan Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Aura Corpuz Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Charito Aumentado Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Lyndon Lee Suy National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Julie Hall Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Julian Donald Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Megan Counahan Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Melanie S. Curless Johns Hopkins Hospital, Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
  • Wendy Rhymer Consultant, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • Melanie Gavin Johns Hopkins Hospital, Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
  • Chelsea Lynch Johns Hopkins Hospital, Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
  • Meredith A. Black Johns Hopkins Hospital, Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
  • Albert D. Anduyon Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Alabang, Philippines
  • Petra Buttner Tropical Health Solutions Pty Ltd, Townsville, Australia
  • Rick Speare Tropical Health Solutions Pty Ltd, Townsville, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2014.5.4.008

Abstract

Objective: To develop, teach and evaluate a training workshop that could rapidly prepare large numbers of health professionals working in hospitals in the Philippines to detect and safely manage Ebola virus disease (EVD). The strategy was to train teams (each usually with five members) of key health professionals from public, private and local government hospitals across the Philippines who could then guide Ebola preparedness in their hospitals.

Methods: The workshop was developed collaboratively by the Philippine Department of Health and the country office of the World Health Organization. It was evaluated using a pre- and post-workshop test and two evaluation forms. Chi-squared tests and linear regression analyses were conducted comparing pre- and post-workshop test results.

Results: A three-day workshop was developed and used to train 364 doctors, nurses and medical technologists from 78 hospitals across the Philippines in three initial batches. Knowledge about EVD increased significantly (P < 0.009) although knowledge on transmission remained suboptimal. Confidence in managing EVD increased significantly (P = 0.018) with 96% of participants feeling more prepared to safely manage EVD cases.

Discussion: The three-day workshop to prepare hospital staff for EVD was effective at increasing the level of knowledge about EVD and the level of confidence in managing EVD safely. This workshop could be adapted for use as baseline training in EVD in other developing countries to prepare large numbers of hospital staff to rapidly detect, isolate and safely manage EVD cases.

Author Biography

Rick Speare, Tropical Health Solutions Pty Ltd, Townsville, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

Public health physician with medical and veterinary qualifications

Director, Tropical Health Solutions

Emeritus Professor with James Cook University

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Published

27-01-2015

How to Cite

1.
Carlos C, Capistrano R, Borja-Tobora CFC, De Los Reyes MR, Lupisan S, Corpuz A, Aumentado C, Lee Suy L, Hall J, Donald J, Counahan M, Curless MS, Rhymer W, Gavin M, Lynch C, Black MA, Anduyon AD, Buttner P, Speare R. Hospital preparedness for Ebola virus disease: a training course in the Philippines. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2015 Jan. 27 [cited 2026 Apr. 10];6(1). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/293

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2015): January – March

Section

Original Research

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