Essential Healthcare Services in the Face of COVID-19 Prevention: Experiences from a Referral Hospital in Ethiopia

Globally, healthcare systems are facing the enormous challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopia is currently implementing different preventive measures to interrupt the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The early effect of these preventive measures on essential healthcare service delivery is unknown. In...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Abdela, Seid Getahun, Berhanu, Abel Balcha, Ferede, Leul Mesfin, van Griensven, Johan
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2020
Materias:
Articles
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7470545/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32762799
http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-0464
Descripción
Sumario:Globally, healthcare systems are facing the enormous challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopia is currently implementing different preventive measures to interrupt the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The early effect of these preventive measures on essential healthcare service delivery is unknown. In this study, we looked at the number of essential healthcare visits over 8 weeks, 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the implementation of preventive measures. During the implementation of these measures, patient flow decreased in all elements of essential healthcare service. The decline was dramatic for family planning (98%), emergency surgery (77%), and follow-up of chronic surgical conditions (70%). An understanding of the reasons behind the decrease in patient flow is urgently needed to design ways of sustaining essential care.

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