A rapid assessment of health system preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea

Authors

  • Alexandre Delamou African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry; Maferinyah National Centre for Training and Research in Rural Health (CNFRSR), Forécariah https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9397-7106
  • Abdoulaye Sow African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry
  • Thierno Oumar Fofana African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4561-3463
  • Sidikiba Sidibé African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7905-9042
  • Karifa Kourouma Maferinyah National Centre for Training and Research in Rural Health (CNFRSR), Forécariah https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6375-262X
  • Maurice Sandouno Belgian Cooperation Agency (ENABEL), Conakry https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5599-3263
  • Abdoulaye Touré African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry; Centre for Training and Research in Infectious Diseases (CERFIG), Conakry; National Institute of Public Health, Conakry
  • Thierno Mamadou Tounkara African Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases (CEA-PCMT), University Gamal Abdel Nasser, Conakry; Department of Dermatology-Venereology, National Hospital of Donka, Conakry
  • Fréderic Le Marcis Centre for Training and Research in Infectious Diseases (CERFIG), Conakry, Guinea; TransVIHMI, Development Research Institute, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France; ENS of Lyon https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8302-0864
  • Wim Van Damme Institute of Tropical Medicine, Anvers https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6344-3007

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2022.1475

Keywords:

COVID-19, health system, preparedness, Guinea, Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Epidemic-prone diseases have high adverse impacts and pose important threats to global health security. This study aimed to assess levels of health facility preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea. This was a cross-sectional study in public and private health facilities/services across 13 Guinean health districts. Managers and healthcare workers (HCWs) from departments in each facility/service were interviewed. Descriptive statistics and comparisons were presented using Pearson’s Chi-Squared Test or Fischer exact test. Totally, 197 managers and 1020 HCWs participated in the study. Guidance documents and dedicated spaces for management/isolation of suspected COVID-19 cases were available only in 29% and 26% of facilities, respectively. Capacities to collect (9%) and safely transport (14%) samples were low. Intensive care units (5%), dedicated patient beds (3%), oxygenators (2%), and respirators (0.6%) were almost lacking. While 36% of facilities/services had received infection prevention and control supplies, only 20% had supplies sufficient for 30 days. Moreover, only 9% of HCWs had received formal training on COVID-19. The main sources of information for HCWs were the media (90%) and the internet (58%). Only 30% of HCWs had received personal protective equipment, more in the public sector (p<0.001) and in Conakry (p=0.022). This study showed low levels of preparedness of health facilities/services in Guinea and highlighted a lack of confidence among HCWs who felt unsafe at their workplace. Better governance to improve and maintain the capacity of the Guinean health system to respond to current and future epidemics is needed.

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Published

26-07-2022

How to Cite

Delamou, A., Sow, A., Fofana, T. O., Sidibé, S., Kourouma, K., Sandouno, M., Touré, A., Tounkara, T. M., Le Marcis, F., & Van Damme, W. (2022). A rapid assessment of health system preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2022.1475

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