INTRODUCTION: Health service use among the public can decline during outbreaks and had been predicted among low and middle-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the governmen...t of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) started implementing public health measures across Kinshasa, including strict lock-down measures in the Gombe health zone.
METHODS: Using monthly time series data from the DRC Health Management Information System (January 2018 to December 2020) and interrupted time series with mixed effects segmented Poisson regression models, we evaluated the impact of the pandemic on the use of essential health services (outpatient visits, maternal health, vaccinations, visits for common infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases) during the first wave of the pandemic in Kinshasa. Analyses were stratified by age, sex, health facility and lockdown policy (i.e, Gombe vs other health zones).
RESULTS: Health service use dropped rapidly following the start of the pandemic and ranged from 16% for visits for hypertension to 39% for visits for diabetes. However, reductions were highly concentrated in Gombe (81% decline in outpatient visits) relative to other health zones. When the lock-down was lifted, total visits and visits for infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases increased approximately twofold. Hospitals were more affected than health centres. Overall, the use of maternal health services and vaccinations was not significantly affected.
CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in important reductions in health service utilizsation in Kinshasa, particularly Gombe. Lifting of lock-down led to a rebound in the level of health service use but it remained lower than pre-pandemic levels.
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A study conducted by the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on older persons both globally and in the African region. Although o...verall the region’s population is younger relative to many other world regions, the WHO AFRO region has a population just over 62 million older people and is ageing rapidly, with the number of older people expected to triple in the next three decades (Aboderin et al., 2020).
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It has been over a year since Kenya identified the first case of COVID-19 in the country. The Government formed the National COVID-...ribute-to-highlight medbox">19 task force, which supported the country's response through multi-sectoral technical working groups on testing, case management, risk communication and community engagement among others. An earlier version of the COVID case management guideline was released in April 2020 and capacity building of health care workers on diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 was quickly carried out, even as counties prepared themselves by setting up isolation centres and supplies
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The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the informal women workers due to lockdowns, curfews, school closures, and all other containment measures- most of which missed the feminist len...s in their formulation, enforcement, and reporting. All recovery efforts, therefore, ought to deliberately consider the informal sector.
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Recommendations for in-patient management of COVID-19 in adult patients
Version 10, November 2020.
Protocol for the management of specialized centres for the treatment of people with alcohol and other drug abuse problems (CETAD) in the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic. Version 1.
Flow chart for the care of symptomatic-respiratory patients suspected of COVID-19
Nursing Care Protocol for adult patients with COVID-19 without respiratory complications
COVID-19, General Epidemiological Surveillance Guidelines (Version 6)
The Participation of the National Police of Ecuador in the handling and transport of COVID-19 corpses
Protocol for strategic implementation of mental health in COVID-19 emergencies ( Version 2)
Guidelines for vaccination against COVID-19 for international travellers and aid workers (25 June 2021)
Daily reports on COVID-19 in Argentina
Memorandum: Recommendation of interval for the application of the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines