Contractual Partner to Conduct Research on Healthcare-Associated Infection Rates in Philippine Hospitals

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to enter into a contractual agreement with a successful bidder and select a suitable Contractor to carry out the following work: To conduct research on healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates in Philippine hospitals

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infection is considered as one of the most frequently occurring adverse events in health facilities. This leads to significant mortality, extended length of stay, and additional costs to patients as well as to the healthcare system. According to the World Health Organization, of every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one healthcare associated infection. 

In the Philippines, surveillance of healthcare associated infections is a priority in health facilities as the rates and trends gathered are used for performance measurement and improvement. The Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order No. 2016-0002 or the National Policy on Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Facilities to provide guidance for the establishment and effective implementation of the core components of Infection Prevention and Control in healthcare facilities. One of the objectives of the policy is to recommend the surveillance system to report, track, and communicate healthcare associated infection rates. 

The National Objectives for Health 2017-2022 includes hospital-acquired infection rate as one of the indicators under innovative regulatory mechanisms developed for equitable distribution of quality and affordable health goods and services. While the 2022 target is set at less than 2%, baseline data is yet to be verified. Moreover, for 2021-2022, the DOH Hospital Scorecard sets a progressive HAI target of less than 1% for a hospital to receive a perfect score in the said indicator. Establishing realistic baseline HAI rates in healthcare facilities is crucial in target setting and subsequent performance measurement in terms of the effectiveness of IPC program implementation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of IPC implementation at national, subnational and facility levels to contain the emergence and re-emergence of infectious threats. There is an urgent need to bridge the existing gaps in IPC implementation, maintain IPC operational readiness to ensure surge capacity and ensure scale-up and sustainability of IPC programmes in the long-term to fully address the pandemic, prevent and control future outbreaks, reduce the endemic burden of health care-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance and build resilient health systems. Scaling-up of IPC capacity and ensuring sustainability are relevant for COVID-19 surges and all other health care-associated infections.

WHO provides technical assistance to the national Infection Prevention and Control Program of the Philippine Department of Health in the implementation of the national IPC standards, including strengthening of its surveillance system for healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance, at the national, subnational and facility level. DOH requested for assistance from the WHO Philippines Country Office to conduct research on establishing baseline rates for healthcare-associated infections in selected hospitals in the country.

WORK TO BE PERFORMED

Under the supervision of the Technical Lead for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at the WHO Country Office in the Philippines, the Contractual Partner shall perform the following activities in close collaboration with the IPC Program of the Department of Health – Health Facility Development Bureau (DOH-HFDB): 

[NOTE: The Supplier will be contracted under a Technical Services Agreement (TSA) by WHO. In addition, the Supplier will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) with DOH-HFDB.] 

Method(s) to carry out the activity:

• • Form a team of qualified and competent individuals with defined roles and tasks aligned with the objectives, including technical experts on HAI surveillance, research, and data analytics;
• • Perform desk review of related literature and documents;
• • Design a research protocol including methodology, sample population, ethics review, and other instruments for data collection (e.g., survey, assessment, interview, etc.);
• • Conduct the research using the approved protocol; 
• • Conduct alignment and consultative meetings with WHO and DOH for progress monitoring as well as with relevant stakeholders on the research findings;
• • Submit and present the research output including recommendations to WHO, DOH and relevant stakeholders.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PROVIDER 

• • Proven experience in the field of conducting HAI surveillance in healthcare facilities, point prevalence surveys, and using data analytics in research;
• • At least two (2) similar projects and three (3) research papers/publication or relevant experience in conducting research and preparation of reports with strategic recommendations;
• • Experience in research papers/publication or relevant experience in the conducting research and preparation of reports with strategic recommendations; .
• • Previous work with WHO, other international organizations and/or major institutions in the field of  infection prevention and control, healthcare-associated infection surveillance, point prevalence surveys, public health research, epidemiology, or data analytics 
   

SUBMISSIONS 

Qualified and interested bidders should access the bidding document/s through In-Tend by clicking 'Express Interest' (Note: UNGM registration is required). The following timelines should be observed

• • Deadline for document requests and submission of queries - 18 October 2022
• • Deadline of proposal submission through In-Tend - 25 October 2022

Late submissions and proposals sent through email will not be accepted. Only successful candidates will be contacted.