The implementation of a "safety officer" program: an innovative approach to improve infection prevention and control practices in Ethiopia.

Background: Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) was central to keeping healthcare workers (HCWs) safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the pandemic continued, the maintenance of high-quality IPC practices waned, placing HCWs at increased risk of infection. A COVID-19 Safety Officer (SO) program was piloted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Reaching Impact, Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) project across two health facilities in Ethiopia, which trained clinical and non-clinical HCWs on IPC protocols to promote safe practices in patient care areas.