A design tool for Infectious Diseases Treatment Centers in Sub-Saharan Africa

In recent decades, there has been a notable increase in the frequency of global epidemics, posing significant threats to human lives, public health systems, and local economies. Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stark example of this phenomenon. Sub-Saharan Africa stands out as a region particularly vulnerable to these epidemics. The majority of its states are characterized by low- and middle-income countries, resulting in inadequate public health infrastructure capable of effectively managing epidemics. Infectious Disease Treatment Centers (IDTCs) have a pivotal role in the fight against infectious diseases. These specialized health facilities provide the necessary isolation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients. However, it is regrettable that these centers are often constructed in response to health emergencies and subsequently abandoned once the epidemic subsides. This practice causes a significant waste of resources, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where limited funds, materials and skilled labour are available. Despite the importance of IDTCs, a comprehensive search of scientific literature and specific guidelines for health facilities reveals a notable absence of standardized regulations and requirements for their design and construction. Therefore, the primary objective of this thesis is to address this regulatory gap by providing fundamental guidelines for the design and construction of IDTCs. A comprehensive design tool has been developed to facilitate this process. The tool offers general information, requirements, and drawing examples to assist designers in creating adaptable and flexible IDTCs that can be repurposed and expanded when necessary.