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Bompangue D, Oyugi B, Bokulu M, Tshijuke SM, Das T, Conteh IN, Ejiofor NE, Abok P, Okeibunor J, Salio F, Balde T, Braka F. COVID-19 as an Accelerator of the Implementation of Emergency Medical Teams Initiative in the AFRO Region. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2023; 17:e489. [PMID: 37702057 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2023.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study describes the progress that the World Health Organization (WHO) African (AFRO) region has made in establishing National Emergency Medical Teams (N-EMTs), the coordination mechanisms of the EMTs, and the regional training centers. METHODS It used a retrospective descriptive analysis of the formulation and implementation of the EMTs Initiative from an insider perspective. The analysis is based on the review of available documents such as EMTs mission reports, assessments, surveys, EMT monthly bulletins, and meeting minutes in addition to key informant interviews (n = 5) with the EMT teams' members to validate the findings and share field experiences. RESULTS The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acted as an accelerator for the implementation of the EMT initiative in the AFRO region. A total of 18 EMT deployments were carried out in 16 countries in the AFRO region through the WHO EMT-network during COVID-19, providing support to countries in managing severe and critical COVID-19 cases. CONCLUSIONS A Regional Training Center for N-EMTs is being set up in Addis Ababa to train the N-EMTs and strengthen local capacity of health personnel in the region. Challenges include unavailability of mentors to support countries in implementing N-EMTs and the Regional Simulation Training Center, poor funding, and coordination in the rolling out of the N-EMTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Bompangue
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Boniface Oyugi
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
- Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS), University of Kent, George Allen Wing, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Bokulu
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Serge Mudipanu Tshijuke
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Timothy Das
- World Health Organization, Headquarters, WPE/CRS/HCR, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ishata Nannie Conteh
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Nonso Ephraim Ejiofor
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Patrick Abok
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Joseph Okeibunor
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Flavio Salio
- World Health Organization, Headquarters, WPE/CRS/HCR, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thierno Balde
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Fiona Braka
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
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Balde T, Oyugi B, Karamagi H, Okeibunor JC, Conteh IN, Ejiofor NE, Atuhebwe P, Nanyunja M, Diallo AB, Mihigo R, Yoti Z, Braka F, Gueye AS. Framing the future of the COVID-19 response operations in 2022 in the WHO African region. Glob Health Action 2022; 15:2130528. [PMID: 36314610 PMCID: PMC9629107 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2022.2130528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the evolving epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 in Africa, the response actions and lessons learnt during the pandemic's past two years, SARS-COV 2 will certainly continue to circulate in African countries in 2022 and beyond. As countries in the African continent need to be more prepared and plan to 'live with the virus' for the upcoming two years and after and at the same time mitigate risks by protecting the future most vulnerable and those responsible for maintaining essential services, WHO AFRO is anticipating four interim scenarios of the evolution of the pandemic in 2022 and beyond in the region. OBJECTIVE In preparation for the rollout of response actions given the predicted scenarios, WHO AFRO has identified ten strategic orientations and areas of focus for supporting member states and partners in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa in 2022 and beyond. METHODS WHO analysed trends of the transmissions since the first case in the African continent and reviewed lessons learnt over the past months. RESULTS Establishing a core and agile team solely dedicated to the COVID-19 response at the WHO AFRO, the emergency hubs, and WCOs will improve the effectiveness of the response and address identified challenges. The team will collaborate with the various clusters of the regional office, and other units and subunits in the WCOs supported with good epidemics intelligence. COVID-19 pandemic has afflicted global humanity at unprecedented levels. CONCLUSION Two years later and while starting the third year of the COVID-19 response, we now need to change and adapt our strategies, tools and approaches in responding timely and effectively to the pandemic in Africa and save more lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierno Balde
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Boniface Oyugi
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo,Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS), University of Kent, George Allen Wing, CanterburyUK
| | - Humphrey Karamagi
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo,CONTACT Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Ishata Nannie Conteh
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Nonso Ephraim Ejiofor
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Phionah Atuhebwe
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Miriam Nanyunja
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Hub, World Health Organisation Emergency Hub for East and Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Amadou Bailo Diallo
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Hub, World Health Organisation Emergency Hub for East and Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya,World Health Organisation Emergency Hub for West and Central Africa, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Richard Mihigo
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Zabulon Yoti
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Fiona Braka
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Abdou Salam Gueye
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Brazzaville, Congo
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Ngoy N, Conteh IN, Oyugi B, Abok P, Kobie A, Phori P, Hamba C, Ejiofor NE, Fitzwanga K, Appiah J, Edwin A, Fawole T, Kamara R, Cihambanya LK, Mzozo T, Ryan C, Braka F, Yoti Z, Kasolo F, Okeibunor JC, Gueye AS. Coordination and Management of COVID-19 in Africa through Health Operations and Technical Expertise Pillar: A Case Study from WHO AFRO One Year into Response. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7080183. [PMID: 36006275 PMCID: PMC9415043 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7080183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: following the importation of the first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case into Africa on 14 February 2020 in Egypt, the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office for Africa (AFRO) activated a three-level incident management support team (IMST), with technical pillars, to coordinate planning, implementing, supervision, and monitoring of the situation and progress of implementation as well as response to the pandemic in the region. At WHO AFRO, one of the pillars was the health operations and technical expertise (HOTE) pillar with five sub-pillars: case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, laboratory, and emergency medical team (EMT). This paper documents the learnings (both positive and negative for consideration of change) from the activities of the HOTE pillar and recommends future actions for improving its coordination for future emergencies, especially for multi-country outbreaks or pandemic emergency responses. Method: we conducted a document review of the HOTE pillar coordination meetings’ minutes, reports, policy and strategy documents of the activities, and outcomes and feedback on updates on the HOTE pillar given at regular intervals to the Regional IMST. In addition, key informant interviews were conducted with 14 members of the HOTE sub pillar. Key Learnings: the pandemic response revealed that shared decision making, collaborative coordination, and planning have been significant in the COVID-19 response in Africa. The HOTE pillar’s response structure contributed to attaining the IMST objectives in the African region and translated to timely support for the WHO AFRO and the member states. However, while the coordination mechanism appeared robust, some challenges included duplication of coordination efforts, communication, documentation, and information management. Recommendations: we recommend streamlining the flow of information to better understand the challenges that countries face. There is a need to define the role and responsibilities of sub-pillar team members and provide new team members with information briefs to guide them on where and how to access internal information and work under the pillar. A unified documentation system is important and could help to strengthen intra-pillar collaboration and communication. Various indicators should be developed to constantly monitor the HOTE team’s deliverables, performance and its members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nsenga Ngoy
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Ishata Nannie Conteh
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Boniface Oyugi
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
- Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS), University of Kent, George Allen Wing, Canterbury CT2 7NF, UK
| | - Patrick Abok
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Aminata Kobie
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Peter Phori
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Cephas Hamba
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Nonso Ephraim Ejiofor
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Kaizer Fitzwanga
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - John Appiah
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Ama Edwin
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Temidayo Fawole
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Rashidatu Kamara
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Landry Kabego Cihambanya
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Tasiana Mzozo
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Nairobi Hub, United Nations Office in Nairobi UN Avenue Gigiri, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Caroline Ryan
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Nairobi Hub, United Nations Office in Nairobi UN Avenue Gigiri, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Fiona Braka
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Zabulon Yoti
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Francis Kasolo
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
| | - Joseph C. Okeibunor
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
- Correspondence:
| | - Abdou Salam Gueye
- World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, Cité du Djoué, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo
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Akpan GU, Bello IM, Touray K, Ngofa R, Oyaole D, Maleghemi S, Babona Nshuti MA, Chikwanda CS, Poy A, Roland Mboussou FF, Ogundiran O, Impouma B, Mihigo R, Yao NKM, Ticha JM, Tuma J, Mohammed HFAH, Kanmodi K, Ejiofor NE, Manengu C, Kasolo F, Seaman V, Mkanda P. Leveraging Polio GIS platforms in the African Region for mitigating Covid-19 contact tracing and Surveillance challenges. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 10:e22544. [PMID: 34854813 PMCID: PMC8972111 DOI: 10.2196/22544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Africa is an urgent public health crisis. Estimated models projected over 150,000 deaths and 4,600,000 hospitalizations in the first year of the disease in the absence of adequate interventions. Therefore, electronic contact tracing and surveillance have critical roles in decreasing COVID-19 transmission; yet, if not conducted properly, these methods can rapidly become a bottleneck for synchronized data collection, case detection, and case management. While the continent is currently reporting relatively low COVID-19 cases, digitized contact tracing mechanisms and surveillance reporting are necessary for standardizing real-time reporting of new chains of infection in order to quickly reverse growing trends and halt the pandemic. Objective This paper aims to describe a COVID-19 contact tracing smartphone app that includes health facility surveillance with a real-time visualization platform. The app was developed by the AFRO (African Regional Office) GIS (geographic information system) Center, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency preparedness and response team. The app was developed through the expertise and experience gained from numerous digital apps that had been developed for polio surveillance and immunization via the WHO’s polio program in the African region. Methods We repurposed the GIS infrastructures of the polio program and the database structure that relies on mobile data collection that is built on the Open Data Kit. We harnessed the technology for visualization of real-time COVID-19 data using dynamic dashboards built on Power BI, ArcGIS Online, and Tableau. The contact tracing app was developed with the pragmatic considerations of COVID-19 peculiarities. The app underwent testing by field surveillance colleagues to meet the requirements of linking contacts to cases and monitoring chains of transmission. The health facility surveillance app was developed from the knowledge and assessment of models of surveillance at the health facility level for other diseases of public health importance. The Integrated Supportive Supervision app was added as an appendage to the pre-existing paper-based surveillance form. These two mobile apps collected information on cases and contact tracing, alongside alert information on COVID-19 reports at the health facility level; the information was linked to visualization platforms in order to enable actionable insights. Results The contact tracing app and platform were piloted between April and June 2020; they were then put to use in Zimbabwe, Benin, Cameroon, Uganda, Nigeria, and South Sudan, and their use has generated some palpable successes with respect to COVID-19 surveillance. However, the COVID-19 health facility–based surveillance app has been used more extensively, as it has been used in 27 countries in the region. Conclusions In light of the above information, this paper was written to give an overview of the app and visualization platform development, app and platform deployment, ease of replicability, and preliminary outcome evaluation of their use in the field. From a regional perspective, integration of contact tracing and surveillance data into one platform provides the AFRO with a more accurate method of monitoring countries’ efforts in their response to COVID-19, while guiding public health decisions and the assessment of risk of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Ubong Akpan
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | | | - Kebba Touray
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Reuben Ngofa
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | | | | | - Marie Aimee Babona Nshuti
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Chanda Sangawambi Chikwanda
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Alain Poy
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Franck Fortune Roland Mboussou
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Opeayo Ogundiran
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Benido Impouma
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Richard Mihigo
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - N'da Konan Michel Yao
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Johnson Muluh Ticha
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Jude Tuma
- World Health Organization, Geneva, CH
| | - Hani Farouk Abdel Hai Mohammed
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | | | - Nonso Ephraim Ejiofor
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Casimir Manengu
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | - Francis Kasolo
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
| | | | - Pascal Mkanda
- World Health Organization, Regional Office of Africa, World Health Organization,Regional Office for AfricaCite Du Djoue ,, Brazzaville, CG
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