3.3.1. (2019 or 2020) Collaborations with health local/ national/ global health institutions to improve health and wellbeing
Link: https://www.cut.ac.cy/news/article/?contentId=436010
Explanation:
Local/National level: The Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), and in particular the School of Health Sciences responded, from the first moment to the societal call in tackling the unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19. This article provides an overview of all actions and activities launched during 2020 (and some continuing in 2021). These are too many too list separately and range from practical assistance in the context of contact tracing activities and open telephone hotlines of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health to shaping the policy response through participation in Scientific Advisory Committees and Working Groups. Furthermore, the University set up or modified a range of health and social service programmes in collaboration with community stakeholders with a particular focus on people with chronic diseases and other vulnerable population groups (e.g. cardiac patients, people with dementia and their carers, pregnant and new mothers etc). Other activities include: the “we are in this together” telephone hotline for healthcare professionals and the student community, training programmes in collaboration with the Cyprus Nursing Services to improve the skills of intensity care personnel, a dedicated website with information and advice (http://covid19.cut.ac.cy/en/), public awareness campaigns as well as a range of other outreach activities. Finally, CUT organized or participated in national and international research studies with the aim to provide the evidence base needed to better understand and tackle the various health and socio-economic implications on the population as a result of the pandemic itself and the prolonged protective measures. Some of these activities are also listed below in more detail:
(a) All through 2020, due to the spread of COVID-19, there was enormous pressure on the healthcare system and in particular the Intensive Care Units in a climate of staff shortages and mounting burn-out of healthcare staff. The Department of Nursing, CUT responded immediately to the call of the Nursing Service Administration of the Ministry of Health to plan and deliver two fast-track training programs on Intensive Care Nursing, with emphasis on caring for people with COVID19.
(b) CUT in partnership with the Ministry of Health have set up a local Rapid Testing Centre (2020) and a Walk-in Vaccination Centre (2021) where both nursing students as well as academic staff of the Department of Nursing offered their services as volunteers
(c) CUT Nursing and Public Health students volunteered throughout 2020 at a local and national level, for example (a) in local screening centers for SARS-CoV-2, (b) assisting in contact tracing activities of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Cyprus Ministry of Health, (c) staffing the information hotlines of the Ministry of Health and (d) in targeted clinical placements in hospitals nationwide to address hospital staff shortages.
(d) CUT (Dr Maria Karanikola, Dept Nursing and Dr Nikos Konstantinou, Dept of Rehabilitation) are Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, established by the Ministry of Health, for community engagement and support, with a focus on alleviating the negative consequences on mental health due to COVID-19 pandemic.
(e) CUT/ Cyprus International Institute for Public and Environmental Health developed a dedicated website with information and advice regarding COVID19 (http://covid19.cut.ac.cy/en/). The initiative run several public awareness campaigns and a range of other outreach activities in partnership with local and national actors, including the organization of the annual Public Health open-day bringing together international invited speakers from the ECDC as well as several researchers and practitioners from academic institutions and government departments in Cyprus. The event was held online due to the COVID19 measures in place at the time and was attended by over 300 people.
(f) The Department of Nursing in collaboration with the Student Development Center launched in 2020 the “We are in this together” daily telephone hotline for psychological support and empowerment. While originally intendent as a service toward front-line healthcare professionals, several of the calls originated from the student body and the local community