COVID-19 treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: if the best is not available, the available becomes the best

Community transmission of COVID-19 is ongoing in the majority of countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), threatening, as elsewhere, the capacity of national healthcare systems (HCS) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). While the epidemic started slowly and late in SSA, currently - subject to often rapid changes - around 20,000 cases per day are reported, despite limited testing. Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as sophisticated and expensive molecular diagnostic tests are of concern. However, the biggest worry is the lack of health care workers (HCW) and health care infrastructure as a few figures compellingly illustrate. SSA has only 0.2 physicians per 1000 inhabitants (Europe 3.7, North America 2.6), while 10,000 HCW across the continent were infected by the 23rd of July. In April, the WHO reported less than 2000 ventilators in 43, and only 5000 intensive care unit (ICU) beds in 41 African countries, respectively. Worst though, their distribution is highly skewed. While many countries in SSA having just a few, if any; in countries which govern such resources, like South Africa, they are mainly located in the private sector, creating corresponding access problems. Non-profit organisations help with the procurement of materials at lower prices, like the African Medical Supply Platform; yet, a single N95 mask still costs 2 USD a piece on this platform.

Descrição

Palavras-chave

COVID-19 Case management LMIC SARS-CoV-2 Sierra Leone Treatment centers

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10451/55728

Citação

Travel Med Infect Dis. 2020 Sep-Oct;37:101878

Editora

Elsevier

DOI

10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101878

Coleções

FM - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais

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