Strengthening Capacity for Prostate Cancer Early Diagnosis in West Africa Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Realist Approach to Rethinking and Operationalizing the World Health Organization 2017 Guide to Cancer Early Diagnosis.

Two years after SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was declared a global public health emergency, the restoration, at least, to the pre-pandemic level of early diagnostic services for prostate cancer has remained enormously challenging for many health systems, worldwide. This is particularly true of West Africa as the region grapples also with the broader impacts of changing demographics and overly stretched healthcare systems. With the lingering COVID-19 crisis, it is likely that the current trend of late prostate cancer diagnosis in the region will worsen with a concomitant increase in the burden of the disease. There is, therefore, a compelling need for innovative and evidence-based solutions to de-escalate the current situation and forestall the collapse of existing structures supporting early prostate cancer diagnosis in the region. In this viewpoint, we make a case for the operationalization of the World Health Organization (WHO) guide to early cancer diagnosis to strengthen the capacity for early prostate cancer diagnosis in West Africa using a realist approach, drawing on participatory health research and evidence-based co-creation. Ultimately, we demonstrate the potential for developing COVID-19 responsive and context-specific models to optimize patient navigation/journey along the essential steps of the World Health Organization guide to early cancer diagnosis.

A competency-based approach to promoting effective hand hygiene in long-term care facilities

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) comprise a large proportion of healthcare service users due to the increasing ageing population. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) constitute a major burden in LTCFs and are associated with significant infectious disease outbreaks and mortality. The non-adherence to effective hand hygiene practice due to missed opportunity for staff to explore its role in infection prevention and control (IPC) within these settings, has been emphasised by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article explores the factors contributing to the poor attitude of staff members towards non-compliance with IPC measures in LTCFs. Recommendations on improving IPC measures were further made based on the Infection Prevention Society competency framework which serves as a tool for individuals to improve their performance continually and become efficient practitioners. After reading this article and completing the time out activities, you should be able to (i) identify various means of promoting adequate hand hygiene in long-term care facilities (LCTFs);(ii) understand that every activity taken to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections (HAI) begins and ends with effective hand hygiene;(iii) recognise steps to prevent cross infection through improved compliance with the five moments of hand hygiene in LTCFs;(iv) develop a satisfactory attitude towards hand hygiene compliance in the workplace, and (v) appraise own competence, recognise areas for further improvement, and devise means of promoting staff compliance through evaluation and feedback.Alternate :Introduction: Long-term care facilities comprise a large proportion of healthcare service users due to the increasing ageing population. Healthcare-associated infections constitute a major burden in long-term care facilities and are associated with significant infectious disease outbreaks and mortality. The non-adherence to effective hand hygiene practice due to missed opportunities for staff to explore its role in infection prevention and control within these settings has been emphasised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This article is designed to assist the continuing professional development needs of nursing and associate professionals in long-term care facilities. It explores the factors contributing to the poor attitude of staff members towards non-compliance with infection prevention and control measures in long-term care facilities. Results: Recommendations for improving infection prevention and control measures were further made based on the Infection Prevention Society competency framework which serves as a tool for individuals to improve their performance continually and become efficient practitioners. Conclusion: After reading this article, healthcare practitioners should be able to (i) identify various means of promoting adequate hand hygiene in long-term care facilities;(ii) understand that every activity taken to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections begins and ends with effective hand hygiene;(iii) recognise steps to prevent cross-infection through improved compliance with the five moments of hand hygiene in long-term care facilities;(iv) develop a satisfactory attitude towards hand hygiene compliance in the workplace, and (v) appraise own competence, and promote staff compliance through feedback