Integration of COVID-19 and TB screening in Kampala, Uganda - Healthcare provider perspectives

BACKGROUND: Following the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak, Uganda experienced a 40% drop in Tuberculosis (TB) screening by June 2020. We sought to identify barriers to and facilitators of integrated COVID-19 and TB screening from the perspective of healthcare providers (HCP) at a National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. DESIGN/METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study using in-depth interviews with 12 HCP involved in TB activities in the outpatient and emergency departments at Kiruddu National Referral hospital Kampala, Uganda. We explored the HCP experiences at work in the setting of COVID-19, HCP perceived effect of COVID-19 on TB screening activities at the Hospital, and perceptions about social and contextual factors that might influence the willingness of HCP to integrate screening of COVID-19 and TB. We analyzed the data using an inductive thematic approach and the emergent themes were denoted as barriers to and facilitators of COVID-19-TB integrated screening. We then mapped the themes to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behavior (COM-B) model. RESULTS: The facilitators to integrated COVID-19 and TB screening included; HCP knowledge of how to separately screen for TB and COVID-19, availability of TB focal persons and interest in learning how to provide integrated screening for TB and COVID-19. The barriers included; HCP inadequate knowledge on how to integrate screening of TB and COVID-19, absence of simple standard operating procedures and data collection tools for integrated screening, inconsistent supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), under staffing, and fear of contracting COVID-19 infection. The identified intervention functions to address the facilitators or barriers included education, persuasion, enablement, and training. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide a basis for designing contextually appropriate interventions targeting factors that are likely to influence HCP decisions and willingness to conduct TB screening in the context of COVID-19.