Safer primary healthcare facilities are needed to protect healthcare workers and maintain essential services
Lessons learned from a multicountry Covid-19 emergency response initiative
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21880709 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Leena Patel (0000-0002-1099-3638, Vital Strategies), Samantha Kozikott (0009-0008-9109-6664, Vital Strategies), Rodrigue Ilboudo (Alliance for International Medical Action), Moreen Kamateeka (0000-0001-7431-9485, African Field Epidemiology Network), Mohammed Lamorde (0000-0003-2218-6822, Infectious Diseases Institute), Marion Subah (0000-0002-9135-6197, University of Liberia), Fatima Tsiouris (0000-0002-4403-2173, ICAP Global Health), Anna Vorndran (Infection Control Africa Network), Christopher T Lee (0000-0001-7957-1524, Vital Strategies, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | e005833 |
| Publication date | 2021-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BMJ Global Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005833 |
| PMID | 34083244 |
| OpenAlex | W3164755172 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 26 |
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2 and other disease pathogens, which take a disproportionate toll on HCWs, with substantial cost to health systems. Improved infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes can protect HCWs, especially in resource-limited settings where the health workforce is scarcest, and ensure patient safety and continuity of essential health services. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we collaborated with ministries of health and development partners to implement an emergency initiative for HCWs at the primary health facility level in 22 African countries. Between April 2020 and January 2021, the initiative trained 42 058 front-line HCWs from 8444 health facilities, supported longitudinal supervision and monitoring visits guided by a standardised monitoring tool, and provided resources including personal protective equipment (PPE). We documented significant short-term improvements in IPC performance, but gaps remain. Suspected HCW infections peaked at 41.5% among HCWs screened at monitored facilities in July 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic in Africa. Disease-specific emergency responses are not the optimal approach. Comprehensive, sustainable IPC programmes are needed. IPC needs to be incorporated into all HCW training programmes and combined with supportive supervision and mentorship. Strengthened data systems on IPC are needed to guide improvements at the health facility level and to inform policy development at the national level, along with investments in infrastructure and sustainable supplies of PPE. Multimodal strategies to improve IPC are critical to make health facilities safer and to protect HCWs and the communities they serve
Disease · Environmental health · Health care · Infection control · Intensive care medicine · Medical emergency · Mentorship · Pandemic · Personal protective equipment · SAFER · Surge Capacity · Workforce · Workforce development · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 and Mental Health · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · Medicine · Nursing
Practice and System Factors Impact on Infection Prevention and Control in General Practice during Covid-19 across 33 Countries
Health Service Management and Patient Safety in Primary Care during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Kosovo
Leveraging HIV Care Infrastructures for Integrated Chronic Disease and Pandemic Management in Sub-Saharan Africa
Development of a simple and effective online training for health workers
The provision and utilization of essential health services in Afghanistan during Covid-19 pandemic
Progress in epidemic-ready primary health care
Campus healthcare workers’ knowledge and views on injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis prior to rollout in South Africa
The health impact of the 2014–15 Ebola outbreak
Contributing factors to personal protective equipment shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 and Italy
Health security capacities in the context of Covid-19 outbreak
Risk of Covid-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community
The urgent need for a global commitment to protect healthcare workers
Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from Covid-19
| Citations per year | 1.4 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2021 - 2026 (6) |
| Highly cited | No |