CLA-Inspired Enhanced COVID-19 Specimen Collection and Transportation in the Conflict Area of Mindanao, Philippines

The USAID Infectious Disease Detection and Surveillance (IDDS) project in the Philippines worked with the government and other implementing partners in an emergency response to address challenges across the COVID-19 specimen referral and transport pathway. An innovative specimen transport model was designed and implemented to ensure functional and timely COVID-19 specimen processing and diagnosis.

Establishing a patient-centered, time efficient, and quality-assured specimen referral and transport system in a rapidly changing operating environment demanded collaboration at both demand and supply side of the prevailing COVID-19 crisis. Stakeholders included service providers, affected communities, and national, regional, and local governments. Systematic and consistent adaptive management practices were urgently needed. The project incorporated components of USAID's CLA Framework during planning and implementation of the intervention. IDDS conceptualized and operationalized the project by fostering multi-faceted collaborations, employing evidence-based adaptations to facilitate decision making, and generating replicable knowledge products informed by impactful practices.

The project interventions aimed to strengthen capacity of health care workers on COVID-19 specimen collection, handling, packaging, and transport as well as reinforce required human resource and logistics. The IDDS/Philippines project led to an improved COVID-19 specimen transport system, while ensuring safe transportation and maintaining the quality of specimens. This resulted in increased access to testing and significantly reduced the transport and test results return time. Reducing the test results time is critical for early diagnosis, treatment, initiation, and reduction of COVID-19 transmission. This is of particular importance in the Mindanao region, Philippines, which is a conflict area characterized by sectarian armed insurgency. The Mindanao region was under martial law for almost three years until January 2020, due to armed conflicts. Post-martial law, the restive region was placed under a state of emergency. In the context of socio-political challenges, the IDDS project in the Philippines contributed to the strengthening of diagnostic networks and laboratory systems in support of country goals for the Global Health Security Agenda and infectious diseases control program like the COVID-19 pandemic.