SEPTEMBER 23rd, 10AM CEST: CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOR IOM HEALTH DELIVERY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Union TB and Migration group is happy to announce a new event.
Dr Christopher Gilpin, Global Laboratory Coordinator for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva, along with his Regional Laboratory Coordinators based in Nairobi and Bangkok will discuss some of the challenges and achievements for IOM in the establishment and provision of COVID-19 health services during the pandemic.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has an experienced health workforce engaged in pre-migration health assessments, including over 800 physicians, nurses and other health staff specialized in areas such as laboratory, radiology and medical information technology. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in restrictions on international travel, in-country movement limitations imposed by host governments, temporary cessation of visa application centres and general safety considerations that led to the temporary suspension of many of IOM’s routine pre-migration health activities at the instruction of host governments or the recommendation of United Nations Resident Coordinators. As a result, IOM engaged in discussions with its member states and adjusted its programming to provide support in the COVID-19 response and its aftermath, while continuing to promote the health and well-being of migrants.
IOM currently operates health assessment centres and 30 laboratories across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. These laboratories and health centres have been re-purposed, and capacity developed to provide COVID-19 testing for the UN staff and their dependants as part of the UN first line of defence. IOM is developing mechanisms to support the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines through these structures. This has required extensive retraining and credentialling of staff in the provision of both diagnostic and clinical services.
The programme will include:
Overview of IOM’s response to the pandemic and repurposing our network of diagnostic facilities to provide COVID-19 testing for UN staff and other groups supporting national responses – C Gilpin (15 min)
Challenges and complexity of implementing the high-throughput Thermofisher system for the detection of COVID-19 in multiple settings across Africa – L Gagnidze (20 min)
Improving laboratory quality: The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to strengthen IOM’s laboratory capacity through enhanced implementation of quality management system towards laboratory accreditation - P Hepple (10 min)
Discussion and questions (15 min)
The meeting will be chaired by Dr Shikha Dhawan, Director Programs, SHARE INDIA and Member of the Union TB migration group committee.
The webinar is free of charge and can be joined using this link
Meeting ID: 812 5001 8980
Passcode: 224602
