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Latin America and the Caribbean

Paraguay

Programs

COVID-19

active
Period of performance: June 2020 – November 2024

Achievements

Strategically pivoted from initial COVID-19 emergency response activities to a comprehensive and sustainable systems-level approach to national oxygen ecosystem strengthening between 2020 and 2024.

Designed and implemented a DHIS2-based medical oxygen tracking system — operational at national, departmental, and facility levels — to improve oxygen-generating pressure swing absorption (PSA) plant operations, production, maintenance, and inventory management. After two years of development, training, and rollout, this system (known as SIMOX) was approved as a national standard in 2024.

Developed a self-paced online training curriculum for oxygen-generating PSA plant operators based on in-person training conducted by EpiC in 2023. These training modules are housed in the Ministry of Health (MOH) central training repository to promote sustainable capacity building to future cohorts of MOH staff.

Designed and delivered four clinical training initiatives for over 800 doctors and nurses to improve the clinical management of COVID-19 cases across the continuum of care. Training included critical care principles, as well as ventilator management, medical oxygen therapy, and management of mild and moderate COVID-19 at the primary health care level.

Addressed work-related stress and burnout among the health workforce: provided technical assistance on occupational mental health to the Mental Health National Directorate; developed a strategy to pilot evidence-based mental health interventions; hosted a series of national- and facility-level workshops to sensitize stakeholders about the importance of health worker well-being; and produced educational videos for health care staff on stress management, burnout, and mental health stigma.


Featured resources

Strengthening local capacity for high-quality clinical management of COVID-19 cases in ParaguayDownload
Paraguay launches first-of-its-kind digital system to track medical oxygenView
Poder Ejecutivo Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social. Resolución S.G. No 221Download
Salud implementará sistema de monitoreo de sus plantas de oxígenoView
Se reforzará la verificación y mantenimiento correctivo de plantas productoras de oxígeno en hospitalesView

Technical areas

Oxygen ecosystem strengthening

Supporting the health workforce

Partners

PSI