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Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria Health Services in sub-Saharan Africa – A Situation Analysis of the Disruptions and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Abstract

Background The unprecedented and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in African countries’ health systems. The impact of shifted focus on COVID-19 for the past 2 years on routine health services, especially those for the epidemics of Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, have been dramatic in both quantity and quality. Methods In this article, we reflect on the COVID-19 related disruptions on the Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria routine health services across Africa. Results The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disruptions of routine health services and diversion of already limited available resources in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, disease programs like TB, malaria and HIV have recorded gaps in prevention and treatment with the prospects of reversing gains made towards meeting global targets. The extent of the disruption is yet to be fully quantified at country level as most data available is from modelling estimates before and during the pandemic. Conclusions Accurate country-level data is required to convince donors and governments to invest more into revamping these health services and help prepare for managing future pandemics without disruption of routine services. Increasing government expenditure on health is a critical part of Africa's economic policy. Strengthening health systems at various levels to overcome the negative impacts of COVID-19, and preparing for future epidemics will require strong visionary political leadership. Innovations in service delivery and technological adaptations are required as countries aim to limit disruptions to routine services.
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Journal Pre-proof
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria Health Services in sub-Saharan
Africa – A Situation Analysis of the Disruptions and Impact of the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Pascalina Chanda-Kapata , Francine Ntoumi , Nathan Kapata ,
Patrick Lungu , Luchenga Adam Mucheleng’anga ,
Jeremiah Chakaya , John Tembo , Cordelia Himwaze ,
Rashid Ansumana , Danny Asogun , Sayoki Mfinanga ,
Peter Nyasulu , Peter Mwaba , Dorothy Yeboah-Manu ,
Alimuddin Zumla , Jean B. Nachega
PII: S1201-9712(22)00173-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.033
Reference: IJID 6081
To appear in: International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Received date: 8 February 2022
Revised date: 16 March 2022
Accepted date: 17 March 2022
Please cite this article as: Pascalina Chanda-Kapata , Francine Ntoumi , Nathan Kapata ,
Patrick Lungu , Luchenga Adam Mucheleng’anga , Jeremiah Chakaya , John Tembo ,
Cordelia Himwaze , Rashid Ansumana , Danny Asogun , Sayoki Mfinanga , Peter Nyasulu ,
Peter Mwaba , Dorothy Yeboah-Manu , Alimuddin Zumla , Jean B. Nachega , Tuberculosis,
HIV/AIDS and Malaria Health Services in sub-Saharan Africa – A Situation Analysis of the Dis-
ruptions and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, International Journal of Infectious Diseases (2022),
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.033
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1
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on Africa’s health systems
COVID-19 disruptions on TB and other health services need to be urgently addressed
Strengthening health systems will require visionary political leadership
Innovations in service delivery and technological adaptations remain critical
Beyond modeling, actual country-level data is required to guide decision making
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Invited Viewpoint article for IJID - World TB Day Issue 2022
Title:
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria Health Services in sub-Saharan Africa A
Situation Analysis of the Disruptions and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors:
Pascalina Chanda-Kapata *, Francine Ntoumi, Nathan Kapata, Patrick Lungu,
Luchenga Adam Mucheleng'anga, Jeremiah Chakaya, John Tembo, Cordelia
Himwaze, Rashid Ansumana, Danny Asogun, Sayoki Mfinanga, Peter Nyasulu,
Peter Mwaba, Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Alimuddin Zumla and Jean B.Nachega
Institutional affiliations:
Pascalina Chanda-Kapata: Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address:
pascykapata@gmail.com.
Francine Ntoumi: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale (FCRM),
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo; Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen,
Germany. Electronic address: fntoumi@fcrm-congo.com
Nathan Kapata: National Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, and UNZA-UCLMS
Research and Training Program, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address:
nkapata@gmail.com
Patrick S Lungu: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Department Internal
Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: lungupatrick99@gmail.com
3
Luchenga Adam Mucheleng’anga: Ministry of Home Affairs, Office of the State
Forensic Pathologist, and UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Program, University
Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: luchengam@gmail.com.
Jeremiah Chakaya: Department of Medicine, Therapeutics, Dermatology and
Psychiatry, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address:
chakaya.jm@gmail.com
John Tembo: HERPEZ and UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Program, University
Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: john.tembo@gmail.com
Cordelia Himwaze: University Teaching Hospital, Department of Pathology and
Microbiology; and UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Program, University Teaching
Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: cordeliahimwaze@gmail.com.
Rashid Ansumana: Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory, Bo, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Electronic address: rashidansumana@gmail.com
Danny Asogun: Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and Irrua Specialist Teaching
Hospital, Nigeria. Electronic address: asogun2001@yahoo.com
Sayoki Mfinanga: Muhimbili Medical Research Centre National Institute for Medical
Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Electronic address: gsmfinanga@yahoo.com.
Peter Nyasulu: Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine; Health
Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address:
pnyasulu@sun.ac.za
4
Peter Mwaba: Lusaka Apex Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, and UNZA-
UCLMS Research and Training Project, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address:
pbmwaba2000@gmail.com.
Dorothy Yeboah-Manu: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of
Ghana, Legon, Ghana. Electronic address: Dyeboah-Manu@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
Alimuddin Zumla: Center for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity,
University College London, and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.; UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training
Program Program, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: a.zumla@ucl.ac.uk
Jean B Nachega: Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases,
Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South
Africa; Depts of Epidemiology and International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; and Depts of Epidemiology,
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of
Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Electronic address: jbn16@pitt.edu.
Correspondence to: Dr Pascalina Chanda-Kapata: Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia.
Electronic address: pascykapata@gmail.com. Mobile phone: +260977879101
Author declarations:
All authors have a specialist interest in global epidemics of COVID-19, TB, HIV and
malaria and One Health. All authors declare no conflicts of interest. The views
expressed in this article are entirely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of
their respective institutions.
5
Abstract
Background: The unprecedented and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed
weaknesses in African countries’ health systems. The impact of shifted focus on COVID-
19 for the past 2 years on routine health services, especially those for the epidemics of
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, have been dramatic in both quantity and quality.
Methods: In this article, we reflect on the COVID-19 related disruptions on the
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria routine health services across Africa.
Results: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disruptions of routine health services and
diversion of already limited available resources in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result,
disease programs like TB, malaria and HIV have recorded gaps in prevention and
treatment with the prospects of reversing gains made towards meeting global targets.
The extent of the disruption is yet to be fully quantified at country level as most data
available is from modelling estimates before and during the pandemic.
Conclusions: Accurate country-level data is required to convince donors and
governments to invest more into revamping these health services and help prepare for
managing future pandemics without disruption of routine services. Increasing government
expenditure on health is a critical part of Africa’s economic policy. Strengthening health
systems at various levels to overcome the negative impacts of COVID-19, and preparing
for future epidemics will require strong visionary political leadership. Innovations in
service delivery and technological adaptations are required as countries aim to limit
disruptions to routine services.
Keywords: Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs, Malaria, COVID-19, impact, Africa, Health
services
6
Introduction
The ongoing unprecedented and devastating COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim
lives, disrupt and divert resources from health systems and have a negative impact on
the mental and physical health of peoples across the world. As of 7th February 2022,
COVID-19 accounted for 396,254,535 cases and 5,759, 785 deaths globally, with Africa
reporting 11,196,707 cases and 241,826 deaths (Worldometers, 2022). Since the
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, African countries had to divert
resources from other competing priorities to tackle this new WHO declared global public
health emergency of international concern (WHO, 2020a; Ivers and Walton, 2020). The
COVID-19 pandemic has also exposed weaknesses in health systems such as
inadequate infrastructure, low numbers of health care workers, inadequate community
engagement and gaps in health system leadership (Chapman and Veras-Estévez, 2021).
Routine health services in Africa, especially those for other killer infectious diseases such
as Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and Malaria, were affected greatly, resulting in slowing
progress in achieving control programs targets (Ivers and Walton, 2020). In this article,
we reflect on some of the COVID-19 related disruptions on TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria
routine health services in Africa, and on gaps in health systems and lessons learnt.
Tuberculosis
The pandemic response measures such as lockdowns reduced access to key health
services like TB diagnosis and treatment. Globally, COVID-19 led to a 29 % decline in the
TB detection rates in 2020 (The Global Fund, 2021a). Reductions in sputum samples
7
received for TB diagnosis were in part due to people shunning health facilities and health
workers prioritised COVID-19 over other conditions (Afum et al, 2021; Alene et al, 2020).
Country level declines for TB notifications ranged from 41% in South Africa to 25% in
India, highlighting major disruptions in high TB burden countries (McQuaid et al, 2021).
The African region has 17 countries, which have the highest burden of TB. New TB
diagnosis notifications and screening programs declined in part due to a reduction in
numbers of health workers, limited access to facilities, and data reporting lapses thus
affecting treatment access. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that in 2020,
of the 10 million people who developed TB, only 5.8 million cases were detected globally,
leaving 4.2 million undetected and a pool for further transmission in communities (WHO,
2021a). These cases of undetected TB will no doubt continue to rise in the near future.
Furthermore, the number of people dying from TB increased both among HIV negative
(from 1.2 Million in 2019 to 1.3 Million in 2020) and among HIV positive (from 209,000 in
2019 to 214,000 in 2020) individuals (WHO, 2021a). The underlying determinants of TB
are poverty, undernutrition and stress and numbers of TB cases will rise further in Africa
while untreated TB could kill more than half of those with disease (Tiemersma et al, 2011).
Additionally, TB/COVID-19 coinfection appears to triple mortality compared with TB mono
infection (Tamuzi et al, 2020; Kouapaei et al, 2021). The poor and malnourished are likely
to have undiagnosed TB because of health services disruptions and stigma due to
COVID-19, this has further led to an increase in TB incidence and mortality which is
disproportionately higher among the low-income communities (Saunders and Evans,
2020). However, how many African countries have data on TB and COVID-19 infection?
Larger cross-continental studies are required to define accurately the trends of
8
undiagnosed and new TB cases, MDR-/XDR-TB and impact of TB/COVID-19 co-
infections on management outcomes. Associated risk factors for mortality also need to
be defined (Matos et al, 2021). The disruptions to pharmaceutical supply chains and
national TB programs require urgent attention (Inzaule et al, 2021).
HIV/AIDS
According to Global Fund, the world recorded a 41% reduction in HIV testing, 37% decline
in referrals for diagnosis and treatment in 2020 versus 2019 (The Global Fund, 2021a).
Modelling estimates by Jewell and colleagues (2020) showed that disruptions in the
supply of antiretroviral drugs (ART) would lead to negative impacts on HIV/AIDS trends.
Disruptions in the supply of condoms among 50% of the population were projected to
increase new infections by 1.19 times, general disruption to services would lead to a 1.06-
fold increase in HIV deaths (Jewell, 2020). Information from simulation models also
predicted an additional 0.002 -0.15 COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 clients if HIV services
were maintained while averting 19-146 HIV deaths per 10,000 clients, showing that it was
beneficial to continue HIV services (Stover et al, 2021). COVID-19 has resulted in
disruptions of services both for those needing ART and for prevention activities (Holtzman
et al, 2022). However, in South Africa, the impact of the 2020 national COVID-19
lockdown on HIV testing and treatment in KwaZulu-Natal, where 1·7 million people are
living with HIV, showed that ART treatment provision was generally maintained during the
lockdown, but HIV testing and ART initiations were heavily impacted (Dorward et al,
2021). The lessons learned from maintenance of ART provision which can be extended
to other areas of service delivery include prioritising essential health services at all times,
9
integrated health service delivery, multi-month prescriptions for chronic medications and
ongoing sensitisation of patients and care givers. National HIV programs in collaboration
with WHO and local non-governmental organization need to make pivotal health system
changes to help maintain essential health services, including expanding testing and
treatment initiation during ongoing COVID 19 surges in low- and middle-income countries.
Malaria
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 241 million malaria cases and
627,000 malaria deaths occurred globally in 2020, an increase of 14 million cases and
69,000 deaths compared to 2019, with 47,000 deaths specifically due to COVID-19
related disruptions of malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services (WHO,
2021b). In the African region, death increased by 12% between 2019 and 2020 (WHO,
2021b). Models project a grim picture for Africa, and anticipate that the 2021 situation
may not be any better (WHO, 2021b; Weiss et al, 2021). While the scale up of
Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACTs) and Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs)
improved testing and treatment for malaria, the emergence of pyrethroid resistance
stagnated malaria prevention efforts leading to WHO recommending use of nets
containing the synergist piperonyl butoxide PBO nets (Churcher et al, 2016; Lindsay et
al, 2021). Additionally, climate change factors and mobility are expected to re-introduce
malaria to areas known to be malaria free (Cella et al, 2019). Late health seeking due to
distance to health facilities impedes early access to appropriate treatment (Bannister-
Tyrrell et al, 2017). Thus, the stagnation in malaria indicators requires further exploration
(Lindsay et al 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic started while progress in malaria control
and elimination had plateaued. COVID-19 exacerbated a trend that began about 2015,
10
with improvements in other regions, but progress against malaria stalled in Africa where
the malaria incidence is off track by 40% for cases and 42% for mortality rate (WHO,
2021b). The biggest increases in burden caused by disruptions due to COVID-19
occurred in the moderate and high malaria transmission countries in Africa.
Worst-case scenarios projected that the COVID-19-related disruptions to malaria control
in Africa could double malaria deaths from 2020 and much more thereafter (Weiss et al,
2021). It has also been shown that even moderate service disruption to malaria services
(diagnosis, treatment bed-nets distributions, chemo-prevention for pregnant women and
children living in sahelian areas) may have dramatic consequences (WHO, 2021b). For
countries in Africa, there are cross-country variations in the COVID-19 related impact. For
example, Uganda reported a slight decline in patients tested for malaria because of
disruptions in the global supply chain while the case load remained similar to pre-COVID
times (Namuganga et al, 2021). In Zimbabwe, however, both malaria cases and deaths
increased when comparing 2019 and 2020 using data from all public and private health
facilities (Gavi et al, 2021). However, the data sources were different making it difficult for
cross country comparisons. Countries need to take on the challenge of tailoring the
response to infectious diseases using locally generated data to be on course to attain the
2030 global malaria targets (WHO, 2021b). The need for more resources is key as some
of the reported reduction in funding levels was due to diversion of local and external
resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Malaria service disruptions in the early
days of the pandemic, though moderate, were anticipated to cause more deaths (WHO,
2020b).
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Re-invigorating Health Systems Disruptions by COVID-19
COVID-19 has resulted in variable disruptions on health systems, social services, and
economic activity (UNSDG, 2020) [Table 1]. Furthermore, global disruptions to the
supply chains affected the availability of essential medicines and supplies amidst a
limping global health system (Amimo et al, 2021). Disruptions in sub-Saharan Africa are
expected to be disproportionately higher than other world regions due to relatively weak
health service infrastructures, low clinician to population ratio, limited laboratory capacity,
and a higher burden of other infectious diseases (El-Sadr and Justman, 2020). With the
advent of COVID-19 however, even the available equipment and staff were repurposed
as countries had to respond to the pandemic (Nyaruhirira et al. 2022, Ivers and Walton,
2020). As a result, outpatient consultations declined, childhood immunisations were
disrupted, infectious disease programs limped, and the global burden and mortality
estimates for both COVID-19 and other conditions have continued to soar (Shapira et al,
2021; Weiss et al, 2020; Holtzman et al, 2022 ). Mathematical models predicted higher
mortalities in high TB burden countries with major disruptions to provision of antiretroviral
treatment (Hogan et al, 2020). Model projections showed that assuming a 75% disruption
in malaria control interventions could lead to reduced testing rates and consequently
declined numbers of those on treatment (Weiss et al, 2021). Weaknesses in the quality
and scope of pediatric and critical care services in Africa have resulted in a high in-
hospital mortality (8.3%) among African children with COVID-19, contrasting with about
1% in high-income countries (1%) (Nachega et al, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic will
continue to negatively affect the HIV, TB and Malaria Control Programs until such a time
12
that the pandemic is contained (Holtzman et al 2022; Weiss et al 2021). The Global Fund
to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) has indicated that COVID-19 will likely
reverse decades of progress made in mitigating the impact of TB, HIV and Malaria (The
Global Fund, 2021b). Further research is required to establish the impact of COVID-19
preventive measures on infectious disease transmission patterns in Africa and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic associated economic recession has negatively affected each
individual household through reduction of income and rise in unemployment rates
(Gondwe, 2020). Underscoring the need for countries to strengthen social security
systems as part of safeguarding the well-being of citizens. Unfortunately, at
macroeconomic level, most African countries had to divert resources from essential
services and acquired more debt in order respond to the COVID-19 fight, coupled with a
shrinking fiscal space due to slowed economic activities, there are limited options to
finance an ever growing health and social security need (Gondwe, 2020; Holtzman et al,
2022). Global solidarity is thus required to enable sustainable, rights-based approach to
investments for the fight against TB, HIV and Malaria, amidst health security threats.
Given the foregoing COVID-19 pandemic, policy makers should align their plans in such
a manner as to ensure that additional resource allocation and investment go into health
system strengthening. Cross-country studies are required to generate granular country
level surveillance data as well as on comorbidities, outcomes and costing to guide current
and future COVID-19 related investments. National and international funding agencies
should prioritise activities that will provide epidemiological, molecular diagnostics and
surveillance programs to strengthen the countries early warning systems. Frontline health
workers should utilise the point of care tests to guide their clinical management decision-
13
making to optimise appropriate COVID-19 care. The inequities in COVID-19 vaccine
rollout has taught the world that urgent investment in vaccine manufacturing hubs in Africa
must be a priority and expanded to prepare for the current and future pandemics (Inzaule
et al, 2021; Loembé and Nkengasong, 2021; Nachega et al 2021). When it appeared that
the COVID-19 was somewhat contained, the ‘leaving behind’ of those needing routine
services has regressed progress made and it is anticipated that countries will have to
innovate and collaborate more to get back on track.
Therefore, innovations, collaborations, human rights, and science are critical now more
than ever. Improvements in domestic and external investments are required to ensure
uninterrupted access to a wide range of services for all (WHO, 2020b). Innovations are
also key in-service delivery including use of technological approaches to improve data or
information flow, deliver essential medical supplies, e-learning, disease surveillance and
supportive supervision (Maharana et al, 2021). As an example, the novel RTS,S which
was found to save 1 life for every 200 children vaccinated, reduction of malaria cases by
40% and significant reduction in deadly severe malaria can be delivered through the
existing platform for childhood vaccination that reaches more than 80% of children (WHO,
2021b). Practical recommendations to help maintain access to high quality HIV and TB
health services in the COVID-19 era include embracing community-based differentiated
service delivery models, less frequent visits to a health facility with less frequent
medication pick-ups, expansion of mental health strategies, offering opportunities to build
back better, and an improved focus on people centered care.
In HIV, innovative examples of home delivery models exist from Africa (Nigeria,
Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, and) where ART was delivered using existing community
14
networks or private courier to avoid interrupted service delivery during the pandemic
(Hoke et al, 2021). Another good example of utilising the local context to ensure
continued supply of essential medicines for PLHIV. The future pandemics should find a
more just, prepared, and strong health system if the lives are to be saved by prioritizing
the continuity of essential services amid the COVID-19 pandemic remains crucial (Gavi
et al, 2021). The One Health approach provides valuable platform to effectively prepare
and respond to zoonotic health threats through a multisectoral human-environmental-
animal health approach (Ung et al, 2021; Zumla et al, 2016). It is important that other
infectious diseases which also impact a high burden on health services in Africa are not
sidelined by COVID-19 epidemic (Kapata et al, 2020).
Furthermore, innovations in financing are key to improve financing levels to support full
implementation of prioritised activities. For example, The GFATM has used different
innovations to raise up to US$50 billion as of June 2021 to support both programs and
health system strengthening (The Global Fund, 2021b). The GFATM has also made
available funding for both country and regional grants, increased the role of both domestic
and private sources of financing while maintain transparency and accountability. The
Fund continues to be responsive to emerging needs by providing ‘above allocation’
funding either to support country attainment of strategic targets or pandemic related
responsive mechanism to avoid disruption to TB, HIV and malaria services (The Global
Fund, 2021b).
In conclusion, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health services generally
and led to diversion of resources away from tuberculosis, HIV and malaria services at
various levels. There is an urgent need to address this by strengthening health systems,
15
providing needed financial resources, renewed political leadership and foster
collaborations. Evidence-based cost-effective interventions need to be scaled-up and
include community-based differentiated service delivery models, less frequent visits to a
health facility with less frequent medication pick-ups, expansion of mental health
strategies, offering opportunities to build back better, and an improved focus on people
centered care. Finally, innovations in service delivery and technological adaptations
remain critical as countries aim to limit disruptions to routine services.
Author Contributions
PC-K, FN, NK and AZ conceptualised and drafted the manuscript. PSL, LAM, JC, JT, CH,
RA, DA, SM, PN and PM contributed to discussions and provided further inputs in writing
the manuscript.
Acknowledgements
P C-K, FN, NK, AZ are co-Investigators or collaborators on the Pan-African Network on
Emerging and Re-Emerging Infections (PANDORA-ID-NET https://www.pandora-
id.net/) funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
the EU Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. AZ, FN, TV and TMC acknowledge
support from EDCTP CANTAM-3. Sir Zumla is a Mahathir Science Award and EU-
EDCTP Pascoal Mocumbi Prize Laureate. FN is coordinator of the Central Africa
Clinical research Network, CANTAM (www.cantam.org). PSN is an Investigator on the
COVID-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund. J.B.N. is an infectious disease internist and
epidemiologist and Principal Investigator of NIH/FIC grant numbers 1R25TW011217-01;
1R21TW011706-01 435 and 1D43TW010937-01A1. He is also Chairman of the
16
AFREhealth Research Committee, served on the scientific program committee of the
American Society of Tropical Medicine and 437 Hygiene (ASTMH), and is a senior
fellow alumnus of the European Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership
(EDCTP).
Conflict of Interest
All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding Source
The authors did not receive any funding for this work.
Ethical Approval Statement
Ethics clearance was not required as the information contained in this Viewpoint was
accessed from publicly available information using online searches.
Declaration of interests
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships
that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered
as potential competing interests:
17
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24
Table 1: Selected COVID-19 impacts, actual and projections
COVID-19 related impact
Projections for
2021/2022
Tuberculosis -global
(WHO, 2021a)
>100,000 TB deaths among
HIV negative (+100000) and
HIV positive (+5000)
Malaria - global
(WHO, 2021b)
14 million more cases in 2020
compared to 2019
69,000 more deaths; 47
000/69,000 malaria were
linked to disruptions in the
provision of malaria
prevention, diagnosis and
treatment during the
pandemic.
HIV/AIDS Model estimates
(Jewell et al, 2020)
Assuming disruption for 50%
of the population over a 1
year period:
o 1·06 times increase in
HIV-related deaths;
o 1·19 times increase in
new HIV infections
Diverted and redirected to
COVID-19 response
Economic performance Africa
(Gondwe, 2020
https://unctad.org/system/files/official-
document/aldcmisc2020d3_en.pdf )
Overall 1.4% decline in GDP
o Smaller economies
facing contraction of
up to 7.8%
Health services utilisation -Africa
(Tessema et al, 2021)
Reduced service utilisation
Repurposing of services and
facilities
Health service disruptions Selected
African countries
(Shapira et al, 2021)
>= 1 month, OPD 10-25%
decline,
Variations in patterns of
service disruptions across
countries
?
?
... Plasmodium parasites and mosquito vectors are becoming resistant to mitigation measures, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted both care-seeking and intervention implementation in many regions, and other public health priorities could divert funds away from malaria. [8][9][10] This makes the need for timely and robust frameworks, with the potential to generate evidence to support evidencebased decision-making for malaria elimination, more pressing. ...
... To model s , the proportion of people ill with any other non-malaria fever-inducing disease in equation (12), we used a Beta (1,10) prior. ...
... Proportion of ill people (non-malaria) ∼ Beta(1,10) ...
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Assessing elimination of malaria locally requires a surveillance system with high sensitivity and specificity to detect its presence without ambiguity. Currently, the WHO standard criteria of observing the absence of locally acquired cases for 3 consecutive years, combined with a health systems assessment, are used to justify claims of malaria elimination. However, relying on a qualitative framework to support the application of this guideline can lead to early, over-optimistic relaxation of control measures with the potential for resurgence. Overcoming this challenge requires innovative approaches to model the coupled processes of malaria transmission and its clinical observation. We propose a novel statistical framework based on a state-space model to probabilistically demonstrate the absence of malaria, using routinely collected health system data (which is extensive but inherently imperfect). By simultaneously modelling the expected malaria burden within the population and the probability of detection, we provide a robust estimate of the surveillance system’s sensitivity and the corresponding probability of local elimination (probability of freedom from infection). Our study reveals a critical limitation of the traditional criterion for declaring malaria elimination, highlighting its inherent bias and potential for misinterpreting ongoing transmission. Such oversight not only misrepresents ongoing transmission but also places communities at risk for larger outbreaks. However, we demonstrate that our integrated approach to data comprehensively addresses this issue, effectively detecting ongoing transmission patterns, even when local reports might suggest otherwise. Our integrated framework has far-reaching implications for malaria control but also for infectious disease control in general. Our approach addresses the limitations of traditional criteria for declaring freedom from disease and opens the path to true optimisation of the allocation of limited resources. Our findings emphasise the urgent need to reassess existing methods to accurately confirm malaria elimination, and the importance of using comprehensive modelling techniques to continually monitor and maintain the effectiveness of current surveillance systems, enabling decisions grounded in quantitative evidence.
... Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for over 90% of global malaria cases and deaths annually after 2010, with approximately 75% of the total malaria prevention and control (P&C) funding sourced from global donors (1). The United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF), and the United Nations agencies provided about 90% of total global assistance, covering most countries in this region over the past decade (1). ...
... Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for over 90% of global malaria cases and deaths annually after 2010, with approximately 75% of the total malaria prevention and control (P&C) funding sourced from global donors (1). The United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF), and the United Nations agencies provided about 90% of total global assistance, covering most countries in this region over the past decade (1). Through combined local and global efforts, malaria prevalence and mortality nearly halved from 2000 to 2015; however, this momentum has not been maintained, with a notable rebound following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (2). ...
... The early implementation of mitigation measures may have lessened the COVID-19 effect on HIV care delivery and utilisation. These may have included accelerating the usage of digital health platforms (i.e., eHealth), utilising private courier services for the delivery of medications and other items, or leveraging existing community networks for service delivery [25]. These are collectively referred to as the differentiated service delivery (DSD) model, which is a client-centred approach to improving the effectiveness and quality of HIV services by adapting the services to patients' needs while lowering the burden on the healthcare system [26]. ...
... Another study reported the use of virtual support platforms on social media and short message services (SMS) to continuously engage with MSM on the availability of and access to HIV services, with improvements in some of the services, including an increased number of HIV tests conducted and positive HIV results [44]. Contrastingly, a significant decline in HIV services in the public sector, particularly HIV testing, was observed in a study conducted among the general population across all nine provinces of South Africa [25]. This could illustrate the disparities in access to HIV care [21] and the redirection of resources towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. ...
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The impacts of COVID-19 among men who have sex with men (MSM), who face limited access to HIV services due to stigma, discrimination, and violence, need to be assessed and quantified in terms of HIV treatment outcomes for future pandemic preparedness. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the HIV treatment cascade among MSM in selected provinces of South Africa using routine programme data after the implementation of differentiated service delivery (DSD) models. An interrupted time series analysis was employed to observe the trends and patterns of HIV treatment outcomes among MSM in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to quantify changes in the accessibility and utilisation of HIV treatment services using the R software version 4.4.1. The segmented regression models showed a decrease followed by an upward trend in all HIV treatment outcomes. After the implementation of the DSD model, significant increases in positive HIV tests (estimate = 0.001572; p < 0.001), linkage to HIV care (estimate = 0.001486; p < 0.001), ART initiations (estimate = 0.001003; p = 0.004), ART collection (estimate = 0.001748; p < 0.001), and taking viral load tests (estimate = 0.001109; p = 0.001) were observed. There was an overall increase in all HIV treatment outcomes during the COVID-19 lockdown in light of the DSD model.
... Thus, COVID-19 pandemic may have severely impacted the national control programmes preventive activities and the population healthcare-seeking behaviours [9][10]. Highlighting the devastating consequences of COVID-19 epidemic in malaria endemic countries would be helpful for a better preparedness for future epidemics [3,10,11]. ...
... Thus, COVID-19 pandemic may have severely impacted the national control programmes preventive activities and the population healthcare-seeking behaviours [9][10]. Highlighting the devastating consequences of COVID-19 epidemic in malaria endemic countries would be helpful for a better preparedness for future epidemics [3,10,11]. Together, local data should be generated for a tailored emerging infectious diseases epidemic responsiveness. ...
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... In addition, it is projected that there will be 18.5 million cancer-related fatalities by 2050, which indicates an 89.7% increase from the 2022 estimate of 9.7 million (1,2). Cancer has become an increasingly significant public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region historically plagued by infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS (3,4). As SSA experiences epidemiological shifts, non-communicable diseases have become significant contributors to both morbidity and mortality (5). ...
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Cancer poses a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that has traditionally struggled with infectious diseases. Although communicable diseases remain the leading cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there has been a rise in the morbidity and mortality rates associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in recent years. As of 2019, NCDs accounted for 37% of deaths, representing an increase from the 24% recorded in 2000. Cancer is fundamentally a genetic disorder, and genomic research has provided a deeper understanding of its biology leading to identification of biomarkers for early cancer detection and advancement in precision oncology. However, despite Africa’s rich genomic diversity and significant cancer burden, the continent remains underrepresented in global genomic research. This underrepresentation is mainly due to challenges such as insufficient funding, inadequate infrastructure, and a limited pool of trained professionals. However, despite these obstacles, initiatives like the H3Africa Consortium, African BioGenome Project, and Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC), amongst others, have made significant strides in funding and developing local capacity and infrastructure for genomic research. In this review, we discuss the unique genomic characteristics of common cancers in Africa, highlight challenges faced in the implementation of genomic research, and explore potential solutions and current initiatives instituted to foster genomic research in the region.
... 4 Similar to other countries, the current pandemic also interrupted the regular schedules and activities of TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria programmes. 58 We found that, generally, our respondents did not allude to a specific framework or explicit approach to priority setting. Even among those who relied on their own internally generated data and surveillance, we did not identify an explicit approach that guided the generation and analysis of such data. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Worldwide, countries have the challenge of meeting the ever-increasing demand for healthcare amidst limited resources. While priority setting is necessary in all settings, it is especially critical in low-and middle-income countries because of their often-low budgetary allocations for health. Despite the long history of disease programmes supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) in Ghana, there is limited evidence on the approaches used in priority setting for the three disease programmes. This study aimed at exploring the priority-setting approaches adopted by the GFATM-supported programmes in Ghana. Methods In-depth interviews of ten key informants from the three disease programmes, the Ministry of Health and global health partners were conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed both inductively and deductively. Results We identified four main approaches for priority setting: (1) identification of health needs, (2) stakeholder participation, (3) transparency of the process and (4) contextual factors. Priorities were identified through national health strategies and mandates, development/ health partners and global mandates and internally generated data and surveillance. The main actors participating in the decision-making or priority setting were ministries and agencies, development partners, research institutions, committees and working groups. These actors had varying influences and power. The involvement of the general public was limited in the priority-setting process. The approaches were often documented and disseminated through various mediums. Contextual factors reported were mainly barriers that affected priority setting, and these included inadequate funding, aligning priorities with funders and interruptions in the priority-setting process. Conclusion While explicit priority-setting approaches are being expanded globally to support resource allocation decisions in health more generally, evidence from our study suggests that their use in the three GFATM-supported programmes was limited.
... described health system preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic [4,12,13,19,29,30,32,34,45,50,59], 9 (24.3%) reported how various public health systems responded to the COVID-19 pandemic [4,31,37,52,[60][61][62][63][64], and 17 (46.0%) [18,23,26,35,36,39,40,47,48,[65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72] provided information on the impact or effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems, society, and the general population. ...
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Good health and well-being is the third of the 17 sustainable development goals to transform the world. As a key contributor to achieving this goal, the global healthcare sector has come under the spotlight. The Covid-19 pandemic presented multiple challenges for healthcare workers globally. Post the pandemic, high quality of work life became a priority for many professionals. The study assessed how quality of work life affects the ability of frontline healthcare workers to provide a high quality of service. Adopting a descriptive exploratory paradigm, the research used mixed methods to gather data from a purposive sample using an in-depth questionnaire comprising of open and closed ended questions. Data revealed that the daily challenges experienced by frontline healthcare workers, particularly those pertaining to the working environment, at selected public central hospitals in South Africa, inhibit their capacity to deliver high quality of service resulting in a low quality of work life. The underlying challenge of inadequate financial support has led to 71% of respondents expressing a lack of resources to fulfil their daily tasks. Furthermore, 90% of respondents believe that there is a serious staff shortage, which leads to other issues such as long wait times, cross contamination and low quality of worklife. Other noteworthy statistics show that, while 73% of the employees received training, only 31% reported skill advancement. The study presented a model for improving the quality of work life to aid improving service delivery which is constantly under scrutiny in South Africa. Results show that despite the implementation of numerous strategies, monitoring and evaluating the execution through data collection, analysis and reporting to promote openness and accountability, ultimately leading to successful implementation is still a challenge.
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Purpose The emergence of unique and destructive viruses, such as COVID-19, has claimed lives, disrupted health systems and diverted resources from addressing the needs of male HIV/AIDS patients in the context of antiretroviral therapy and other HIV/AIDS-related issues. This study aims to assess male HIV/AIDS patients’ satisfaction with antiretroviral therapy and its implications for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Design/methodology/approach Satisfaction, word-of-mouth, trust and revisit intention were the variables in the research model. A quantitative method was utilized. Data were collected from 400 male HIV/AIDS patients who received medical attention from hospitals in Gombe State, Nigeria, utilizing the convenience sampling method. SmartPLS was used for data analysis. Findings The results show that satisfaction has a positive impact on trust, word-of-mouth and revisit intention. Furthermore, trust and word-of-mouth had a significant impact on revisit intentions. Word-of-mouth played a significant mediating role in the relationship between satisfaction and revisit intention. Trust played an insignificant mediating role between satisfaction and revisit intention. Additionally, word-of-mouth had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between trust and revisit intention. Healthcare organisations should prioritise patient satisfaction because it influences their likelihood of returning. Addressing the needs of male HIV patients can significantly enhance their overall healthcare experience, which would lead them to spread positive word of mouth. Research limitations/implications Healthcare administrators should make it a top priority to provide superior services that match or exceed patient expectations. The study used quantitative data and focused on the male gender. Also, the empirical research is carried out in public hospitals; however, there are some differences between the types of hospitals in terms of the factors that affect male HIV/AIDS patients’ revisits. We employed a cross-sectional study. As a result, we recommend expanding it into a longitudinal study, as it allows the researcher to validate the causal mechanism and obtain results that are more generalizable. Practical implications Healthcare managers should actively encourage positive patient reviews and recommendations. Setting up systems to record and distribute patient success stories can improve the hospital’s reputation and attract new patients. Increased word-of-mouth advertising can naturally result from encouraging positive encounters and outcomes. Healthcare administrators should establish channels for sharing information regarding therapies, procedures and support services that are transparent and easy to obtain. Patients’ intentions to return for follow-up appointments can be favourably influenced by education on the value of ongoing care. Social implications Male HIV/AIDS patients who are satisfied with their care have a tendency to trust medical professionals more, which promotes enhanced therapeutic outcomes and greater compliance with treatment regimens. Positive comments from those with the condition can also reduce stigma and motivate community members to seek treatment, fostering a supportive environment for those living with HIV/AIDS. The study emphasises how important it is for patients and healthcare providers to have stronger, greater empathy connections, which could contribute to decreasing health disparities. Originality/value The study investigates the effect of satisfaction on the revisit intention of male HIV/AIDS patients and also highlights how trust and WOM mediate this relationship.
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Poor psychosocial well-being, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and high anticipated stigma, complicates young South Africans’ engagement with HIV care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychosocial well-being of young South Africans with HIV may have been impacted by changing levels of social support. This analysis sought to examine whether social support mediates the relationship between the pandemic and psychosocial well-being in young South Africans with HIV. This secondary analysis compared baseline data from two cohorts of young people ages 18–24 who tested HIV positive either before or during South Africa’s COVID-19 State of Disaster. Baseline sociodemographic, social support-related, and psychosocial data were analyzed using linear regression and mediation analyses. We found that self-esteem was higher (χ² = 9.955, p < 0.01) and anticipated stigma (χ² = 22.756, p < 0.001) was lower in the cohort recruited during the pandemic. Perceived family social support was higher in the cohort recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic (χ² = 38.69, p < 0.001). Family social support partially mediated the relationship between study cohort and self-esteem (Sobel z=-3.04, p = 0.002), family- (Sobel z=-4.06, p < 0.001) and community-type (Sobel z =-3.44, p < 0.001) anticipated stigma, and depressive symptoms (Sobel z =-2.80, p = 0.005). Overall, compared to young people diagnosed with HIV before the pandemic, young people diagnosed during the pandemic reported higher self-esteem and lower anticipated stigma, an effect mediated by higher levels of family social support. Our findings add to the literature examining young people’s psychosocial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests that improvements in family support may have broadly positive effects on multiple indicators of psychosocial well-being.
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Purpose of Review This editorial introduces this special Global Health Section on the interface of the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics. Recent Findings Authors of articles in this special issue take on a variety of topics that capture how the acute COVID-19 pandemic affected global efforts towards HIV control, and how co-infection, stigma, and social determinants of disease have affected populations on multiple continents. Summary Two historic pandemics -- HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 -- have affected the world in our lifetimes at a level reminiscent of the 1918-1919 H1N1 influenza pandemic. We have much to learn from both experiences to optimize pandemic disease control, prevention, and management.
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COVID-19 undermines control of other infectious diseases. Diagnostics are critical in health care. This opinion paper explores approaches for leveraging diagnostics for COVID-19 while retaining diagnostics for other infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. We reflect on experiences with GeneXpert technology for TB detection and opportunities for integration with other diseases. We also reflect on benefits and risks of integration. Placement of diagnostics in laboratory networks is largely non-integrated and designated for specific diseases. Restricting the use of diagnostics leaves gaps in detection of TB, HIV, malaria and COVID-19. Integrated laboratory systems can lead to more efficient testing while increasing access to critical diagnostics. However, we have observed that HIV diagnosis within the TB diagnostic network displaced TB diagnosis. Subsequently, COVID-19 disrupted both TB and HIV diagnosis. WHO-recommended rapid molecular diagnostic networks for infectious diseases need more investment to achieve diagnostic capacity for TB, HIV, COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases. Integrated laboratory systems require mapping laboratory networks, assessing needs for each infectious disease, and identifying resources. Otherwise, diagnostic capacity for one infectious disease may displace another. Further, not all aspects of optimal diagnostic networks fit all infectious diseases, but many efficiencies can be gained where integration is possible.
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IMPORTANCE Little is known about COVID-19 outcomes among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where preexisting comorbidities are prevalent. OBJECTIVE To assess the clinical outcomes and factors associated with outcomes among children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study was a retrospective record review of data from 25 hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda from March 1 to December 31, 2020, and included 469 hospitalized patients aged 0 to 19 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection. EXPOSURES Age, sex, preexisting comorbidities, and region of residence. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES An ordinal primary outcome scale was used comprising 5 categories: (1) hospitalization without oxygen supplementation, (2) hospitalization with oxygen supplementation, (3) ICU admission, (4) invasive mechanical ventilation, and (5) death. The secondary outcome was length of hospital stay. RESULTS Among 469 hospitalized children and adolescents, the median age was 5.9 years (IQR, 1.6-11.1 years); 245 patients (52.4%) were male, and 115 (24.5%) had comorbidities. A total of 39 patients (8.3%) were from central Africa, 172 (36.7%) from eastern Africa, 208 (44.3%) from southern Africa, and 50 (10.7%) from western Africa. Eighteen patients had suspected (n = 6) or confirmed (n = 12) multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Thirty-nine patients (8.3%) died, including 22 of 69 patients (31.9%) who required intensive care unit admission and 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with suspected or confirmed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Among 468 patients, 418 (89.3%) were discharged, and 16 (3.4%) remained hospitalized. The likelihood of outcomes with higher vs lower severity among children younger than 1 year expressed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 4.89 (95% CI, 1.44-16.61) times higher than that of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. The presence of hypertension (aOR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.89-18.50), chronic lung disease (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.65-5.37), or a hematological disorder (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.04-9.24) was associated with severe outcomes. Age younger than 1 year (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [asHR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.87), the presence of 1 comorbidity (asHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.72), and the presence of 2 or more comorbidities (asHR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.18-0.38) were associated with reduced rates of hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cohort study of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, high rates of morbidity and mortality were observed among infants and patients with noncommunicable disease comorbidities, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination and therapeutic interventions are needed for young populations in this region.
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Background There is mounting evidence that the risk of death from COVID-19 among people with HIV could be as much as twice that of the general population. Recent evidence revealed that HIV services has been decreased by 75% and the problem is much more extensive in Ethiopia since most of the logistics for HIV services and fund donated by the good will of NGOs. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on HIV services is a crucial first step to draw appropriate intervention. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on HIV services in northwest Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based repeated cross-sectional study was conducted in Gondar city in August 2021. The DHIS-2 system, operated by FMOH contains data from all the nine health facilities for HIV care was used to extract data from the central repository. Excel data was exported to STATA 14 for analysis. We calculated indicators of HIV services, representing the 12 months pre-COVID 19 (2019) and 16 months during the COVID-19 period (2020 and 2021). ANOVA was used to detect the presence of significant mean differences between those periods. Assumptions of ANOVA was checked. The statistical significance was declared at 95% confidence interval (CI), p-value less than 0.05. Results The mean difference was significant within HIV_VCT, HIV_PICT, ART between the years 2019 before COVID-19 and 2020 during COVID-19 (p-value < 0.05). HIV_VCT, ART variability was substantial between the years 2019 and 2021 (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion COVID-19 seriously affected all aspects of HIV service uptake such as HIV VCT, HIV PICT, ART, newly started ART, TB screening, and lost to ART follow-up. This study urges optimizing ART delivery mitigation with the ongoing COVID-19 in Ethiopia and beyond, in order to maintain progress toward HIV epidemic control.
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Purpose of Review We describe the impact of COVID-19 on PEPFAR programs in Africa and how PEPFAR adapted and leveraged its interventions to the changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent Findings To mitigate the potential impact of COVID-19 on the HIV response and protect the gains, continuity of treatment was the guiding principle regarding the provision of services in PEPFAR-supported countries. As the COVID-19 pandemic matured, PEPFAR’s approach evolved from a strictly “protect and salvage” approach to a “restore and accelerate” approach that embraced innovative adaptations in service and “person-centered” care. Summary The impact of service delivery interruptions caused by COVID-19 on progress towards HIV epidemic control in PEPFAR-supported African countries remains undetermined. With COVID vaccine coverage many months away and more transmissible variants being reported, Africa may experience more pandemic surges. HIV programs will depend on nimble and innovative adaptations in prevention and treatment services in order to advance epidemic control objectives.
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Background Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 pandemics are both diseases of public health threat globally. Both diseases are caused by pathogens that infect mainly the respiratory system, and are involved in airborne transmission; they also share some clinical signs and symptoms. We, therefore, took advantage of collected sputum samples at the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana to conduct differential diagnoses of long-standing endemic respiratory illness, particularly tuberculosis. Methodology Sputum samples collected through the enhanced national surveys from suspected COVID-19 patients and contact tracing cases were analyzed for TB. The sputum samples were processed using Cepheid’s GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay in pools of 4 samples to determine the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Positive pools were then decoupled and analyzed individually. Details of positive TB samples were forwarded to the NTP for appropriate case management. Results Seven-hundred and seventy-four sputum samples were analyzed for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in both suspected COVID-19 cases (679/774, 87.7%) and their contacts (95/774, 12.3%). A total of 111 (14.3%) were diagnosed with SARS CoV-2 infection and six (0.8%) out of the 774 individuals tested positive for pulmonary tuberculosis: five (83.3%) males and one female (16.7%). Drug susceptibility analysis identified 1 (16.7%) rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis case. Out of the six TB positive cases, 2 (33.3%) tested positive for COVID-19 indicating a coinfection. Stratifying by demography, three out of the six (50%) were from the Ayawaso West District. All positive cases received appropriate treatment at the respective sub-district according to the national guidelines. Conclusion Our findings highlight the need for differential diagnosis among COVID-19 suspected cases and regular active TB surveillance in TB endemic settings.
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Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruptions including to health services. In the early response to the pandemic many countries restricted population movements and some health services were suspended or limited. In late 2020 and early 2021 some countries re-imposed restrictions. Health authorities need to balance the potential harms of additional SARS-CoV-2 transmission due to contacts associated with health services against the benefits of those services, including fewer new HIV infections and deaths. This paper examines these trade-offs for select HIV services. Methods We used four HIV simulation models (Goals, HIV Synthesis, Optima HIV and EMOD) to estimate the benefits of continuing HIV services in terms of fewer new HIV infections and deaths. We used three COVID-19 transmission models (Covasim, Cooper/Smith and a simple contact model) to estimate the additional deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 transmission among health workers and clients. We examined four HIV services: voluntary medical male circumcision, HIV diagnostic testing, viral load testing and programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission. We compared COVID-19 deaths in 2020 and 2021 with HIV deaths occurring now and over the next 50 years discounted to present value. The models were applied to countries with a range of HIV and COVID-19 epidemics. Results Maintaining these HIV services could lead to additional COVID-19 deaths of 0.002 to 0.15 per 10,000 clients. HIV-related deaths averted are estimated to be much larger, 19–146 discounted deaths per 10,000 clients. Discussion While there is some additional short-term risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with providing HIV services, the risk of additional COVID-19 deaths is at least 100 times less than the HIV deaths averted by those services. Ministries of Health need to take into account many factors in deciding when and how to offer essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work shows that the benefits of continuing key HIV services are far larger than the risks of additional SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
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Introduction: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are the newest and one of the oldest global threats, respectively. In the COVID-19 era, due to the health system's focus on the COVID-19 epidemic, the national TB control program received less attention, leading to a worsening of the global TB epidemic. In this study, we will review the characteristics of TB patients coinfected with COVID-19. Material and Methods: Using Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases, a systematic search was performed. Case reports and case series on TB/COVID-19 coinfection published from January 1, 2019 to February 24, 2021 were collected. There were no limitations regarding publication language. Results: Eleven case series and 20 case reports were identified from 18 countries, with the majority them being from India ( N = 6) and China ( N = 4). Overall, 146 patients (114 men and 32 women) coinfected with TB and COVID-19 enrolled. Smoking (15.1%), diabetes (14.4%), and hypertension (8.9%) were the most frequent comorbidities among these patients. The COVID-19 patients with TB mainly suffered fever (78.8%), cough (63.7%), and respiratory distress (22.6%). Hydroxychloroquine (64.0%) and lopinavir/ritonavir (39.5%) were the most common treatments for them. The mortality rate was 13.0% and the rate of discharged patients was 87.0%. Conclusion: Global prevalence of COVID-19-related deaths is 6.6%. Our results showed that 13.0% of patients with TB/COVID-19 died. Thus, this study indicated that coinfection of TB and COVID-19 can increase the mortality. The respiratory symptoms of TB and COVID-19 are very similar, and this causes them to be misdiagnosed. In addition, TB is sometimes diagnosed later than COVID-19 and the severity of the disease worsens, especially in patients with underlying conditions. Therefore, patients with TB should be screened regularly in the COVID-19 era to prevent the spread of the TB/COVID-19 coinfection.
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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems in both developed and developing nations alike. Africa has one of the weakest health systems globally, but there is limited evidence on how the region is prepared for, impacted by and responded to the pandemic. Methods We conducted a scoping review of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL to search peer-reviewed articles and Google, Google Scholar and preprint sites for grey literature. The scoping review captured studies on either preparedness or impacts or responses associated with COVID-19 or covering one or more of the three topics and guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. The extracted information was documented following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension checklist for scoping reviews. Finally, the resulting data were thematically analysed. Results Twenty-two eligible studies, of which 6 reported on health system preparedness, 19 described the impacts of COVID-19 on access to general and essential health services and 7 focused on responses taken by the healthcare systems were included. The main setbacks in health system, preparation included lack of available health services needed for the pandemic, inadequate resources and equipment, and limited testing ability and surge capacity for COVID-19. Reduced flow of patients and missing scheduled appointments were among the most common impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health system responses identified in this review included the availability of telephone consultations, re-purposing of available services and establishment of isolation centres, and provisions of COVID-19 guidelines in some settings. Conclusions The health systems in Africa were inadequately prepared for the pandemic, and its impact was substantial. Responses were slow and did not match the magnitude of the problem. Interventions that will improve and strengthen health system resilience and financing through local, national and global engagement should be prioritised.
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Introduction: Over the past 5 years, substantial global investment has resulted in reduced TB incidence rates by 9% and mortality rates by 14%. However, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has hindered access and availability of TB services to maintain robust TB control. The objective of this rapid review was to describe the challenges to be addressed and recommendations to strengthen health system preparedness for optimal TB control across low- and middle-income countries during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Five databases were used to systematically search for relevant articles published in 2020. The 5-step framework proposed by Arskey and O'Malley and adapted by Levac et al. guided the review process. Thematic analysis with grounded theory principles was used to summarize themes from selected articles and integrate analyses with barriers reported from authors' previous TB research. Results: Of the 218 peer-reviewed articles, 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four emerging themes described challenges: (1) unprepared health system leadership and infrastructure, (2) coexisting health priorities, (3) insufficient health care workforce support for continued training and appropriate workplace environments, and (4) weak connections to primary health centers hindering community engagement. Four recommendations were highlighted: (1) ensuring leadership and governance for sustainable national health budgets, (2) building networks of community stakeholders, (3) supporting health care workforce training and safe workplace environments, and (4) using digital health interventions for TB care. Conclusions: National health systems must promote patient-centered TB care, implement ethical community interventions, support operational research, and integrate appropriate eHealth applications. TB program managers and primary care practitioners can serve as instrumental leaders and patient advocates to deliver high-quality and sustainable TB care that leads to achieving the targets of the End TB Strategy.