Filming for the COVID-19 training videos took place at Sisattanak District Hospital, Vientiane Capital. Credit: WHO/S Khounpaseuth
During this COVID-19 pandemic, an alarming number of those infected, or about 10% of cases globally, are among health workers. Understanding infection in healthcare workers is critical to informing the specific infection prevention and control (IPC) measures needed to protect them.
The Ministry of Health, Centre of Communication and Education for Health (CCEH) and Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation (DHR), with support from the World Health Organization, is producing a series of 8 COVID-19 training videos. The videos include topics like how to keep staff and other patients safe, how to put on personal protective equipment, how to keep the hospital clean, staff wellbeing and how to keep essential health services running during COVID-19.
The Director-General of DHR Dr Khamphoua Southisombath said “Educational videos showing how the guidance can be implemented is a rapid and cost-effective way to share important IPC measures. These can be easily shared to healthcare workers around the country. In addition, short videos explaining IPC to staff at COVID-19 isolation and quarantine facilities as well as videos on COVID-19 prevention and home care would reinforce our preparation in the case of widespread community transmission.”
The videos will be used to complement the training programme delivered at district hospitals across the country starting from September this year. The videos are aimed at nurses and doctors and teach about measures to keep safe from the virus and how to provide high quality care for patients with COVID-19.
WHO Medical Officer, Dr. Shogo Kubota and his team joined the Sisattanak District Hospital staff to produce the videos.
District medical staff learned how to protect themselves when screening patients suspected with COVID-19.Credit: WHO/S Khounpaseuth
Over the next few weeks, CCEH will be working with the WHO team to edit the videos. The training videos will enable the roll-out of high quality, practical training to hospitals throughout Lao PDR, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both healthcare workers and patients.