An Completed Project

Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Officers (AFPSO) Project

Funding Agency

World Health Organization

Partners/Collaborators

Department of Health - Epidemiology Bureau

Kind of Service

Recruitment and Training and Operational Support

Project Description

PR for Contracting Partner for the Recruitment of Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Officers (AFPSOs) for the Department of Health.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the fecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine. Polio infections can lead to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs).

On September 19, 2019, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that Polio re-emerged in the Philippines, nineteen years after the country was declared polio-free in 2000.

In January 2020, FETPAFI was tasked to support the Polio surveillance in the country thru a project funded by the World Health Organization Philippines. All activities were led by the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau and in coordination and technical guidance from the WHO. The project focused on strengthening the on-going Polio surveillance thru the hiring and capacitating of surveillance officers who will man and support the surveillance in all the regions of the country, either at the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) or the Provincial DOH Office (PDOHO). With more than twenty Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Officers (AFPSO), the project was implemented from February to September in 2 Phases.

For sustainability, the project was endorsed by FETPAFI  with the recommendation of continuing the contracts of AFPSOs and capacity building of the new AFPSO hired directly by the DOH Regional Health Offices.