South-west Indian Ocean countries are extremely vulnerable to the risk of epidemics due to the relative development levels of their healthcare infrastructure. These regions have been or are affected by numerous tropical diseases (dengue, chikungunya, malaria, leptospirosis, etc.), vector-borne diseases (plague and cholera), and seasonal epidemics to which the COVID-19 pandemic has now been added, thus weakening healthcare systems even more.
In order to bring effective emergency response to health crises in the region, PIROI is equipping itself with a treatment centre for epidemics (cholera, dengue, plague, COVID-19) that aims to strengthen hospital infrastructure. The support PIROI provides to the region’s countries will be adapted according to the needs observed in the field: receiving and caring for patients, providing personal protective equipment, monitoring and preventing infections, and so forth. Through this temporary healthcare complex, which will be operational in 2022, PIROI aims to put its expertise at the service of healthcare facilities and epidemic-affected communities.
The emergency hospital structure will include :
- A triage area for the reception and orientation of patients: this area has a capacity of at least 4 patients and allows diagnostic tests, care and administrative procedures;
- An isolation module for infectious patients allowing the admission of at least 8 patients under oxygen therapy;
- A convalescence area for the care of at least 4 patients before their discharge;
- An administrative and living area for staff: changing shifts, changing clothes, etc;
- A storage area for medical and non-medical equipment, which also manages the power supply;
- An area for the management of the hospital’s water supply, used water and laundry;
- An area for the management of infectious risk care waste.
The total capacity of the centre will allow for the care of at least 16 patients simultaneously. If the national health capacity is exceeded, this structure can be deployed at the request of the authorities and attached to an existing hospital structure.
This project is being carried out thanks to financial support from the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of the 3 Oceans project.
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