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Gueye AS, Okeibunor J, Ngofa R, Conteh I, Onyeneho N, Mbainodji N, Braka F, Chamla D, Koua EL, Moeti M. Willingness of WHO staff to work in health emergencies in the African Region: opportunity for phased deployment of staff and ensure continuity of health services. Pan Afr Med J 2024; 47:68. [PMID: 38681108 PMCID: PMC11055190 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2024.47.68.40362] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
A human resource base that ensures appropriate deployment of staff to emergencies, addressing different shock events in emergencies, without disrupting continuity of service is germane to a successful response. Consequently, the WHO Health Emergencies programme in the African Region, in collaboration with Africa Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) launched the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC) and Strengthening and Utilization of Response Group for Emergencies (SURGE), an initiative aimed at ensuring a pool of timely responders. We explored the willingness of WHO staff to work in emergencies. A call for expression of interest to be part of the Elite Emergency Experts (Triple E) was published on 5th July 2022 via email and was open for 5 weeks. The responses were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and presented with graphic illustrations. A total of 1253 WHO staff, from all the six WHO regions, cutting across all cadre, applied to the call. The applicants had various trainings and experiences in emergency and have responded to mostly disease outbreaks. Two-third of the applicants were males. This paper did not explore reasons for the willingness to work in emergencies. However, contrary to fears expressed in literature that health workers would not want to work in emergencies with potential for infections, the applicants have worked mostly in infectious emergencies. Literature identified some themes on factors that could impact on willingness of health workers to work in emergencies. These include concerns for the safety of the responders and impact of partners, child and elderly care, as well as other family obligations, which emergency planners must consider in planning emergency response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Okeibunor
- WHO African Region, Brazzaville, Congo
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
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Akpan GU, Mohammed HF, Touray K, Kipterer J, Bello IM, Ngofa R, Stein A, Seaman V, Mkanda P, Cabore J. Conclusions of the African Regional GIS Summit (2019): using geographic information systems for public health decision-making. BMC Proc 2022; 16:3. [PMID: 35715765 PMCID: PMC9206237 DOI: 10.1186/s12919-022-00233-y] [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: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of geographic information system (GIS) technologies to improve access to health is gaining momentum in Africa. This has become more pertinent with the increasing penetration of mobile-phone technology and internet use, and calls for innovative strategies to support implementation of the World Health Organization Sustainable Development Goals for universal health coverage on the continent. The huge potential benefits of GIS to advance health service delivery in Africa is, however, yet to be fully harnessed due to critical challenges such as proliferation of pilot projects, poor coordination, inadequate preparedness of the health workforce for GIS, lack of interoperability, and inadequate sustainable financing. To discuss these challenges and propose the way forward for rapid, cost-effective, and sustainable deployment of GIS, the African Regional GIS Summit was held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, on 7–10 October 2019 under the umbrella of the AFRO GIS Centre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Ubong Akpan
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo.
| | | | - Kebba Touray
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - John Kipterer
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Isah Mohammed Bello
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Reuben Ngofa
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Andrew Stein
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Vince Seaman
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pascal Mkanda
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Joseph Cabore
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, Brazzaville, Congo
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Akpan GU, Bello IM, Mohamed HF, Touray K, Kipterer J, Ngofa R, Oyaole DR, Atagbaza A, Ticha JM, Manengu C, Chikwanda C, Nshuti MB, Omoleke S, Oviaesu D, Diallo M, Ndoutabe M, Seaman V, Mkanda P. The digitization of Active Surveillance: An insight-based evaluation of Interactive visualization of active case search for Polio surveillance to support decision making in Africa (Preprint). JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022. [DOI: 10.2196/37450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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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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Ticha JM, Akpan GU, Paige LM, Senouci K, Stein A, Briand P, Tuma J, Oyaole DR, Ngofa R, Maleghemi S, Touray K, Salihu AA, Diallo M, Tegegne SG, Bello IM, Idris UK, Maduka O, Manengu C, Shuaib F, Galway M, Mkanda P. Outcomes of the Deployment of the Auto-Visual Acute Flaccid Paralysis Detection and Reporting (AVADAR) System for Strengthening Polio Surveillance in Africa From 2017 to 2018: Evaluation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e18950. [PMID: 33263550 PMCID: PMC7744265 DOI: 10.2196/18950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As we move toward a polio-free world, the challenge for the polio program is to create an unrelenting focus on smaller areas where the virus is still present, where children are being repeatedly missed, where immunity levels are low, and where surveillance is weak. Objective This article aimed to describe a possible solution to address weak surveillance systems and document the outcomes of the deployment of the Auto-Visual Acute Flaccid Paralysis Detection and Reporting (AVADAR) project. Methods This intervention was implemented in 99 targeted high-risk districts with concerns for silent polio circulation from eight countries in Africa between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018. A total of 6954 persons (5390 community informants and 1564 health workers) were trained and equipped with a smartphone on which the AVADAR app was configured to allow community informants to send alerts on suspected acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and allow health worker to use electronic checklists for investigation of such alerts. The AVADAR and Open Data Kit ONA servers were at the center of the entire process. A dashboard system and coordination teams for monitoring and supervision were put in place at all levels. Results Overall, 96.44% (24,142/25,032) of potential AFP case alerts were investigated by surveillance personnel, yielding 1414 true AFP cases. This number (n=1414) reported through AVADAR was higher than the 238 AFP cases expected during the study period in the AVADAR districts and the 491 true AFP cases reported by the traditional surveillance system. A total of 203 out of the 1414 true AFP cases reported were from special population settings, such as refugee camps and insecure areas. There was an improvement in reporting in silent health areas in all the countries using the AVADAR system. Finally, there were 23,473 reports for other diseases, such as measles, diarrhea, and cerebrospinal meningitis, using the AVADAR platform. Conclusions This article demonstrates the added value of AVADAR to rapidly improve surveillance sensitivity. AVADAR is capable of supporting countries to improve surveillance sensitivity within a short interval before and beyond polio-free certification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Godwin Ubong Akpan
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Lara Mf Paige
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kamel Senouci
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Andrew Stein
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Jude Tuma
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Reuben Ngofa
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | - Kebba Touray
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | - Mamadou Diallo
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | | | | | | | - Casimir Manengu
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Faisal Shuaib
- National Primary Health Care Delivery Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Michael Galway
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Pascal Mkanda
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
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