ECO

Duration

01/09/2021 - 30/11/2023

Coordinator

Regina Rabinovich

Funded by

Unitaid

 ECO (Enhanced and equitable coverage of COVID-19 testing and treatment in Bolivia and Paraguay) has as ultimate objective to strengthen the health systems in Bolivia and Paraguay in support of their strategies against COVID-19, and to prepare them for possible new pandemic threats.

ECO works hand in hand with the health systems and communities at risk in order to achieve enhanced and more equitable coverage of COVID-19 services. For that purpose, ECO aims to improve the implementation strategies of diagnosis and treatment of this disease, while working alongside communities, clinicians and health authorities to respond to their needs. 

ECO aims at implementing a Test and Treat COVID-19 strategy to support the health system to improve response to effective, early use of COVID-19 diagnostics and introduction of new therapeutics. The project also aims at implementing a protocol to evaluate the feasibility of introduction of self-tests in Paraguay, with the potential to lead to consideration by the Ministry of Health of a recommendation supporting self-testing.

A cross-cutting element in the ECO project is community engagement and participatory processes. Co-creation processes will engage the national health systems, relevant stakeholders and the community, in order to conduct a locally adapted to increase demand for COVID-19 services and compliance of preventive measures against the disease.information, education and communication campaign

Test and Treat and Community Engagement will be complemented by supporting the improvement of health data collection and visualisation based on the existing, bespoke and unique data system in place in each country.

Evidence generation activities will be complemented with work in other areas that are critical to ensure scaling up of the tested strategies and to prepare the health system for rapid introduction of new tools. This will include analysis of the national regulatory pathways, as well as market analysis and demand forecasting to inform funding allocations and requests by the Ministries of Health in Bolivia and Paraguay.

ECO will actively work to disseminate outcomes and lessons learned to a variety of audiences, from engaged health staff and in-country stakeholders to scientific researchers and, when relevant, other countries in Latin America.

ECO is an amendment to the previously existing Unitaid BOHEMIA grant, and will be implemented as a collaboration across two areas in ISGlobal: the Malaria Elimination Initiative and the Chagas Initiative.

Project output:

• Irene and the Path to Health, a short film
• Empowering Local Health Leaders: Bolivia and Paraguay's Model for Pandemic Preparedness
• Campaña COVID-19 de ECO en Bolivia y Paraguay: diagnóstico y tratamiento ¡a tiempo!
• EL COVID NO SE HA IDO - Urben Beats (Rap Cumbia)
• EL COVID NO SE HA IDO - Maike JN Cole (Tecno Pop)
• Por la ruta de la salud. Juntos podemos ganarle al COVID
• COVID-19: Diagnóstico y tratamiento ¡A TIEMPO! - Bolivia
• COVID-19: Diagnóstico y tratamiento ¡A TIEMPO! - Paraguay
• Taller de Preparación para Pandemias: “Optimizando el periodo entre pandemias. Conversaciones en Panamá”

Partners

• Foundation for Applied Science and Studies for Health and Environmental Development (CEADES)
• Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de Cochabamba, Bolivia
• Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social, Paraguay

Total Funding

3,513,673 USD

Funded by