COVID-19 and Emerging Pandemics

EGPAF's decades of experience in epidemic prevention and control as a technical leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS has made the organization uniquely prepared to respond to the pandemic.

More than 30 years ago, we were founded to confront the devastating impact of a pandemic affecting the health and safety of children, youth, and families. Since then, EGPAF has worked on outbreak preparedness and response for several pandemic threats, including HIV, Ebola, and COVID-19. Our work has included:

	Technical assistance rooted in health systems strengthening and infectious disease expertise
	Infection and health systems surveillance
	Operations and clinical research
	Mobile technology and e-health solutions
	Differentiated health service delivery

Confronting COVID-19

Today, we find ourselves on the frontlines of another pandemic. Protecting our clients and staff against COVID-19 has been critical over this last year. All of our programs have adjusted in some way to ensure supported health facilities are prepared and supplied with protective equipment, testing, treatment and, soon, vaccines. We have had to create new ways to deliver health services for HIV, TB, Malaria, maternal and child health and family planning in the midst of COVID-19 preparedness and protection.

Pandemic Response Approaches

1.	Undertaking COVID-19 surveillance activities.
2.	Integrating COVID-19 test and treatment services into existing service delivery entry points.
3.	Quickly developing digital tools and analytic capabilities for rapid decision making.
4.	Providing communities with COVID-19 risk communication messaging, COVID-19 screening, COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 vaccination, and COVID-19 treatment.
5.	Expanding virtual learning and telemedicine platforms to enhance infection prevention and control measures at health facilities.
6.	Training laboratory technicians and health workers on safe collection, packaging, and transportation of COVID-19 samples.
7.	Expanding a suite of virtual pediatric and adolescent-focused services to provide virtual care for vulnerable children and adolescents living with HIV.
8.	Adjusting ARV service delivery to ensure children, adolescents, and adults living with HIV do not miss their medications while protecting them from COVID-19.
9.	Providing psychosocial support to adolescents and youth using safer, more tailored approaches.
10.	Developing training for media to raise awareness about the importance of social distancing.

Supported Countries

Recognizing the immediate threat of the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities it serves, EGPAF leveraged its core expertise in health systems strengthening, service delivery and capacity building to begin direct COVID-19 interventions in June 2020.

EGPAF provided direct COVID-19 interventions from screening, testing and surveillance to vaccine roll-out in 12 countries: Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

	Cameroon Conducted a pilot study to determine the extent of health service disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and to what extent disruptions may be attributable to IPC-related factors. Learn more
	Cote d’Ivoire Conducted an expanded pilot study to further understand disruptions to essential health service delivery due to COVID. Learn more
	Democratic Republic of Congo Supported the DRC Ministry of Health to roll-out high-quality workshops for training of trainers and step-down trainings on rapid antigen testing. Learn more
	Eswatini Helped improve the COVID-19 vaccination uptake and ensuring efficiencies in both the rollout and implementation. Learn more
	Kenya Conducted a pilot study to determine the extent of health service disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and to what extent disruptions may be attributable to IPC-related factors. Learn more
	Lesotho Supported integrated COVID-19 vaccination into service provision as part of the broader COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the country. Learn more
	Malawi Supported the implementation of Malawi’s national telephonic syndromic surveillance system for COVID-19, as well as activities to improve the national response to COVID-19. Learn more
	Mozambique Supported activities to improve the national response to COVID-19. Learn more
	South Africa Conducted an expanded pilot study to further understand disruptions to essential health service delivery due to COVID. Learn more
	Tanzania Supported infection prevention & control (IPC) activities at facilities. Learn more
	Uganda Conducted an expanded pilot study to further understand disruptions to essential health service delivery due to COVID. Learn more
	Zimbabwe Supported activities to improve the national response to COVID-19. Learn more