Table 3 Current IPC education and training improvement needs in countries of WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region who accepted to participate in this study

Afghanistan

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC with the help of WHO.

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

• Competency training outside the country and exposure to other experienced countries

• Need for well-equipped centers (for simulation)

Bahrain

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC.

• Involve academic institutions in designing IPC curriculum and national IPC guidelines.

• Make IPC education autonomous in the countries, rather than dependent NGO support by integrating IPC education into national health education plans.

• National supervision of IPC education and training.

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

• Provide a regional advanced IPC degree, supported by leading academic institutions in the region.

• Make IPC training mandatory for all HCW with periodic licensing and relicensing.

Iraq

• Training of hospital administrators

Kuwait

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC.

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

• Required qualifications for IPC professionals

Jordan

• University specialties and higher degrees in IPC

• Identify qualifications of IPC trainers

• Relate IPC to research

• Relate the professional development with IPC courses (continuous professional education hours that are related to IPC)

• Need for national IPC curriculum

Lebanon

• Put a national definition of IPC certification.

• National supervision of IPC education and training.

• Need for national IPC curriculum

Oman

• National preparedness for health emergencies to be mandated within the professional career pathways

Pakistan

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

• Need for a program that evaluates training needs

Palestinian Territories

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC.

• Need for accredited courses in the world regarding infection control, not just local ones

• Exposure to regional success stories (successful people with good indicators)

Qatar

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

• International or Regional IPC-certified training supported by WHO

• Unified well structures IPC module based on the scope of work (postgraduate)

Sudan

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC.

• National supervision of IPC education and training.

Syrian Arab Republic

• Develop undergraduate IPC education modules

• Develop an IPC residency program

• Improve the awareness of administrators and stakeholders on the importance of IPC

United Arab Emirates

• Strengthen and create focused IPC education modules in undergraduate health sciences majors. University specialties and higher degrees in IPC.

• Design and provide different training programs to different categories of HCWs.

Yemen

• Adoption of the IPC curriculum prepared by the Ministry of Public Health and Population- Sana’a for the National Training Manual of IPC in undergraduate and postgraduate medical and paramedical majors

• Financial support to establish continuous training courses