scholarly journals Will Universal Access to Antiretroviral Therapy Ever be Possible? The Health Care Worker Challenge

2010 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. e64-e69 ◽  
Author(s):  
André R Maddison ◽  
Walter F Schlech
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Health Care Worker ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Development Goal ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Care Worker

The United Nations millennium development goal of providing universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for patients living with HIV/AIDS by 2010 is unachievable. Currently, four million people are receiving ART, of an estimated 13.7 million who need it. A major challenge to achieving this goal is the shortage of health care workers in low-income and low-resource areas of the world. Sub-Saharan African countries have 68% of the world’s burden of illness from AIDS, yet have only 3% of health care workers worldwide. The shortage of health care providers is primarily caused by a national and international ‘brain drain,’ poor distribution of health care workers within countries, and health care worker burnout.Even though the millennium development goal to provide universal access to ART will not be met by 2010, it is imperative to continue to build on the momentum created by these humanitarian goals. The present literature review was written with the purpose of attracting research and policy attention toward evidence from small-scale projects in sub-Saharan Africa, which have been successful at increasing access to ART. Specifically, a primary-care model of ART delivery, which focuses on decentralization of services, task shifting and community involvement will be discussed. To improve the health care worker shortage in sub-Saharan Africa, the conventional model of health care delivery must be replaced with an innovative model that utilizes doctors, nurses and community members more effectively.

scholarly journals A COVID-19 Infection Risk Model for Frontline Health Care Workers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louie Florendo Dy ◽  
Jomar Fajardo Rabajante
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Worker ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Interaction Time ◽  
Work Shift ◽  
Crowd Density ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Care Worker

AbstractThe number of confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted in hospitals is continuously increasing in the Philippines. Frontline health care workers are faced with imminent risks of getting infected. In this study, we formulate a theoretical model to calculate the risk of being infected in health care facilities considering the following factors: the average number of encounters with a suspected COVID-19 patient per hour; interaction time for each encounter; work shift duration or exposure time; crowd density, which may depend on the amount of space available in a given location; and availability and effectiveness of protective gears and facilities provided for the frontline health care workers. Based on the simulation results, a set of risk assessment criteria is proposed to classify risks as ‘low’, ‘moderate’, or ‘high’. We recommend the following: (i) decrease the rate of patient encounter per frontline health care worker, e.g., maximum of three encounters per hour in a 12-hour work shift duration; (ii) decrease the interaction time between the frontline health care worker and the patients, e.g., less than 40 minutes for the whole day; (iii) increase the clean and safe space for social distancing, e.g., maximum of 10% crowd density, and if possible, implement compartmentalization of patients; and/or (iv) provide effective protective gears and facilities, e.g., 95% effective, that the frontline health care workers can use during their shift. Moreover, the formulated model can be used for other similar scenarios, such as identifying infection risk in public transportation, school classroom settings, offices, and mass gatherings.

scholarly journals Epidemiology of ebolavirus disease (EVD) and occupational EVD in health care workers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Need for strengthened public health preparedness

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 455-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nlandu Roger Ngatu ◽  
Ntumba Jean-Marie Kayembe ◽  
Elayne Kornblatt Phillips ◽  
Joa Okech-Ojony ◽  
Masika Patou-Musumari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Roles and Expectations of Male Partners from PMTCT services in Chiradzulu Malawi: A Qualitative Study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice M'baya Kansinjiro ◽  
Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Male Involvement ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Male Partners ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background: Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) is the main measure for curbing HIV infection in children. Male involvement (MI) greatly influences uptake and adherence to PMTCT services yet the level remain low in Sub Saharan Africa. Lack of well stipulated roles for men in PMTCT is one of the main barriers to MI. Studies on MI have focused on women and Health care workers (HCW), thereby making men silent partners. The main aim of the study was to explore the roles and expectations of male partners in PMTCT services in Malawi. Methods: This was a descriptive qualitative study that involved men whose partners were either pregnant or breastfeeding a child, health care workers working in PMTCT services for over six months and traditional leaders. We conducted 9 in-depth interviews and 12 key informant interviews from January to March 2018. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and translated. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze data. Results: Male partners play supportive, HIV prevention behaviour change and decision-making roles in PMTCT services. Health assessment and health promotion activities are the male specific services required in PMTCT services and these should be delivered at both health facility and community levels. Conclusion : Male partners in PMTCT have expectations that need to be met at both health facility and community levels. There is need to have male-tailored package of health services that are directly provided to men along with PMTCT services at different levels in order to promote MI. The services should be provided in an atmosphere that allows and accepts male partners to exercise their roles in PMTCT services.

scholarly journals Meta Analysis on Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Perception towards COVID-19 among Health Care Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-142
Author(s):  
Saraswati Basnet
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Worker ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Poor Knowledge ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Knowledge And Practice ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Care Worker

 Corona virus that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, is a newly discovered ribonucleic acid corona virus named 2019-nCoV.SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the meta-analysis is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, practice and perception towards Covid-19 among health care worker (HCWs) by performing a systematic Meta analysis of related published literature. The Meta analysis was done only on involved sample of at least 327 to 1357 and total 4005 subjects and diverse research design were eligible among the 8 full-text articles. A formal extraction protocol was the PRISMA-P. Most of the HCWs were nurses, doctors and paramedic and females (54.9%). Nearly half (44.4%) were nurses, 36.8% were doctors and only 18.8% were pharmacists & technician. Most of (87.1%) of the health care workers had good knowledge, almost all had positive attitude, 87.4% had positive practice and almost all had positive perception in terms of perception of Covid-19. Similarly less than one forth (12.9%) of health care worker had poor knowledge, less than one forth (12.5%) had poor practice respectively. The studies concluded that almost all of the HCWs had good knowledge, good practice, positive attitude and perception towards covid-19. A few HCWs had poor knowledge and practice, so training program could improve knowledge and practice.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C among Healthcare Workers in Dutse Metropolis Jigawa State, Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.M. Sani ◽  
I. Bitrus ◽  
A.M. Sarki ◽  
N.S. Mujahid
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Chromatographic Technique ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan

AbstractHepatitis is one of the neglected infectious diseases in sub Saharan Africa and most of the available data is based on blood donors. Health care workers (HCWs) often get infected as a result of their close contact with patients. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C among this group of professionals with a view to improving the quality of care to their patients. Hepatitis B and C infections pose a major public health problem worldwide. While infection is highest in the developing world particularly Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, healthcare workers are at higher risk of acquiring blood-borne viral infections, particularly Hepatitis B and C which are mostly asymptomatic. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C infections and associated risk factors among health care workers in Dutse Metropolis, Jigawa State - Nigeria. A standard rapid immuno-chromatographic technique i.e. rapid ELISA was used to screen all sera for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C viral antibody (HCVAb) respectively. Strips containing coated antibodies and antigens to HBV and HCV respectively were removed from the foil. Strips were labeled according to samples. Using a separate disposable pipette, 2 drops of the sample (plasma) were added into each test strip and allowed to run across the absorbent pad. Results were read after 15 minutes. The prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in 100 healthcare workers was determined by testing the plasma collected from the clients during their normal checkup using HBsAg and HCVAb test strips. Results were subjected to statistical analysis using chi-square test. The prevalence of HBV among HCWs was 19 out of 100 (19.0%) and that of HCV was 5 out of 100 (5.0%) where in both cases, higher prevalence was observed among female nurses. It was also observed that all HCV positive cases were recorded among nurses only. The study revealed that nurses are at greater risk of contracting HBV and HCV due to their frequent contact with patients. It is therefore recommended that effective vaccination and other infection control measures be encouraged among healthcare workers.

scholarly journals Combating the pandemic of COVID-19 in India: health care worker perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2797
Author(s):  
Barsha Gadapani Pathak ◽  
Rukman M. Manapurath
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Worker ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Epidemic Model ◽  
Ventilatory Support ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Care Worker

As the pandemic of COVID-19 intensifies there is a huge burden on the health care system of each country. As predicted by epidemic model, India with 1.3 billion population and only 0.76 doctors per thousand people will have 1 million people affected by COVID-19 needing ventilatory support. This situation focusses on the substantial thrust on health care workers in India while dealing with the pandemic and protection of the health care workers from COVID-19 infection is significant as they are the key-groups in health system to procure win-battle status against COVID-19. Henceforth, after meticulously comparing various countries’ strategies to protect their HCWs this brief study is being prepared and few recommendations has been suggested which may enable the protection of HCWs in India. Un-interrupted supply of appropriate PPE, phenomenon of presenteeism among HCWs, burn-outs among HCWs, front-line department protocol for protection of HCWs, need of constant psycho-analysis among HCWs, stigma in society for HCWs, prophylaxis for HCWs against COVID-19 and HCWs’ family concerns are some of the issues which are being highlighted in this paper.

scholarly journals Establishing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Survey of Suggestions Made by Health Care Workers in Cross River State, Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 944-948
Author(s):  
Queeneth Ndukwe Kalu ◽  
Oboko Oboko Oku ◽  
Ini-Abasi Udo Ilori
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cross River ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan

BACKGROUND: Rising trend in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in developing countries often result in sudden death, which are largely preventable through effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Most communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, lack access to CPR services, due to a deficiency in requirements for the establishment of such services. These requirements can be grouped into a triad of awareness, infrastructure and capacity building.AIM: This study was aimed at assessing the perceived need and recommendations for improvement in CPR services in Cross River State.METHODS: Proportionate sampling was used to recruit healthcare workers in this cross-sectional study. Data was obtained using semi-structured open-ended questionnaire consisting of recommendations for improving CPR services. Responses were coded and grouped into three essential areas. Data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 20.0.RESULT: Two hundred and twenty-nine (229) questionnaires were completed; mean age of respondents was 42.1 ± 11.2 years. The commonest cadre of healthcare worker was nurses (135, 59.0%). One, two, and three areas of suggestions were made by 55.5%, 37.1%, and 7.4% of respondents, respectively. Suggestions included training of health care workers on CPR (111, 48.5%) and provision of resuscitation equipment (95, 41.5%). Sixty-five respondents (29.3%) recommended creating awareness and means of contact, while some respondents recommended capacity building (132, 57.6%) and resuscitation infrastructure set-up (149, 65.1%).CONCLUSION: Healthcare workers perceive an urgent need for the establishment of CPR services in our health facilities and communities. There is need to address the triad of awareness, infrastructure and capacity building for the establishment of CPR services peculiar to Sub-Saharan Africa.

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