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Fulltext COVID-19: Is herd immunity the only option for fragile Yemen?

Noushad M, Al-Saqqaf IS

Int J Infect Dis, 2021 May;106:79-82.
PMID: 33737135 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.030

The first case of COVID-19 in Yemen was confirmed on 10 April 2020. Having faced with a six-year long conflict that has destroyed half of its healthcare facilities and displaced millions, predictions of infections and mortality in Yemen suggested a looming healthcare catastrophe. Difficulty in implementing coordinated lockdowns and preventive measures due to the daily labor working nature of the majority of the population, provided the perfect breeding ground for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, official figures of infections and mortality are very low and there have not been confirmed reports of excess mortality. This could indicate that Yemen is silently marching towards forced herd immunity. Seroprevalence studies will provide useful insight into the COVID-19 transmission trajectory in Yemen, which can serve as a guide in planning vaccine distribution strategies and allocating the limited funds wisely.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution*
Fulltext Turkish health system reform from the people's perspective: a cross sectional study

Ali Jadoo SA, Aljunid SM, Sulku SN, Nur AM

BMC Health Serv Res, 2014;14:30.
PMID: 24447374 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-30

Since 2003, Turkey has implemented major health care reforms to develop easily accessible, high-quality, efficient, and effective healthcare services for the population. The purpose of this study was to bring out opinions of the Turkish people on health system reform process, focusing on several aspects of health system and assessing whether the public prefer the current health system or that provided a decade ago.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
Fulltext Assessment of Healthcare System Capabilities and Preparedness in Yemen to Confront the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak: A Perspective of Healthcare Workers

Zawiah M, Al-Ashwal FY, Saeed RM, Kubas M, Saeed S, Khan AH, et al.

Front Public Health, 2020;8:419.
PMID: 32850608 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00419

Background: In the past decade, Yemen has witnessed several disasters that resulted in a crumbled healthcare system. With the declaration of COVID-19 a global pandemic, and later the appearance of first confirmed cases in Yemen, there is an urgent need to assess the preparedness of healthcare facilities (HCFs) and their capacities to tackle a looming COVID-19 outbreak. Herein, we present an assessment of the current state of preparedness and capabilities of HCFs in Yemen to prevent and manage the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: An online survey for HCFs was developed, validated, and distributed. The questionnaire is divided into five main sections: (1) Demographic variables for participants. (2) HCFs capabilities for COVID-19 outbreak. (3) Support received to face the emergence and spread of COVID-19. (4). Current practices of infection prevention and control measures in the HCFs. The last section focused on the recommendations to ensure effective and timely response to this outbreak in Yemen. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 23. Results: Responses were received from healthcare workers (HCWs) from 18 out of 22 governorates in Yemen. Out of the 296 HCWs who participated in the study, the vast majority (93.9%) believed that the healthcare system in Yemen does not have the resources and capabilities to face and manage a COVID-19 outbreak. Approximately 82.4% of participants rated the general preparedness level of their HCFs as very poor or poor. More specifically, the majority of HCWs rated their HCFs as very poor or poor in term of availability of the following: an adequate number of mechanical ventilators (88.8%), diagnostic devices (88.2%), ICU rooms and beds (81.4%), and isolation rooms (79.7%). Conclusions: The healthcare facilities in Yemen are unprepared and lack the most basic resources and capabilities to cope with or tackle a COVID-19 outbreak. With the current state of a fragile healthcare system, a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen could result in devastating consequences. There is an urgent need to provide support to the healthcare workers and HCFs that are on the frontline against COVID-19.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
Fulltext Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

Khoo EJ, Lantos JD

Acta Paediatr, 2020 07;109(7):1323-1325.
PMID: 32289175 DOI: 10.1111/apa.15307
Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
Fulltext Exploring views on long term rehabilitation for people with stroke in a developing country: findings from focus group discussions

Mohd Nordin NA, Aziz NA, Abdul Aziz AF, Ajit Singh DK, Omar Othman NA, Sulong S, et al.

BMC Health Serv Res, 2014;14:118.
PMID: 24606911 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-118

The importance of long term rehabilitation for people with stroke is increasingly evident, yet it is not known whether such services can be materialised in countries with limited community resources. In this study, we explored the perception of rehabilitation professionals and people with stroke towards long term stroke rehabilitation services and potential approaches to enable provision of these services. Views from providers and users are important in ensuring whatever strategies developed for long term stroke rehabilitations are feasible and acceptable.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
Telehealth: the backbone of healthcare financing

Suleiman AB

Stud Health Technol Inform, 2004;104:182-90.
PMID: 15747978 DOI: 10.3233/978-1-60750-947-9-182

Malaysia, like many other countries faces major challenges in meeting increasing demands with limited resources. Changes in demography, life-style diseases, increasing consumer expectations, new medical technologies and rapid economic growth all fuel demand for more healthcare services. There are problems related to the distribution and delivery of healthcare services, and there is inadequate integration of healthcare delivery and continuity of care is a major concern. Resources tend to be concentrated in the very expensive hospital sector, although services would be cost-effectively and conveniently delivered at primary care level. There is no ideal healthcare system, and how healthcare is supported and organized for service delivery influences the country's social, economic and political well-being. Like many other countries, Malaysia is undergoing health reform in meeting these challenges, and is becoming more reliant on telemedicine and telehealth.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
Fulltext COVID-19 preparedness-a survey among neonatal care providers in low- and middle-income countries

Klingenberg C, Tembulkar SK, Lavizzari A, Roehr CC, Ehret DEY, Vain NE, et al.

J Perinatol, 2021 05;41(5):988-997.
PMID: 33850282 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-021-01019-4

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate COVID-19 pandemic preparedness, available resources, and guidelines for neonatal care delivery among neonatal health care providers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across all continents.
STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, web-based survey administered between May and June, 2020.
RESULTS: Of 189 invited participants in 69 LMICs, we received 145 (77%) responses from 58 (84%) countries. The pandemic provides significant challenges to neonatal care, particularly in low-income countries. Respondents noted exacerbations of preexisting shortages in staffing, equipment, and isolation capabilities. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 9/35 (26%) respondents noted increased mortality in non-COVID-19-infected infants. Clinical practices on cord clamping, isolation, and breastfeeding varied widely, often not in line with World Health Organization guidelines. Most respondents noted family access restrictions, and limited shared decision-making.
CONCLUSIONS: Many LMICs face an exacerbation of preexisting resource challenges for neonatal care during the pandemic. Variable approaches to care delivery and deviations from guidelines provide opportunities for international collaborative improvement.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution*
Hemovigilance in developing countries

Ayob Y

Biologicals, 2010 Jan;38(1):91-6.
PMID: 20133151 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2009.10.002

Hemovigilance like quality systems and audits has become an integral part of the Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) in the developed world and has contributed greatly to the development of the blood service. However developing countries are still grappling with donor recruitment and efforts towards sufficiency and safety of the blood supply. In these countries the BTS is generally fragmented and a national hemovigilance program would be difficult to implement. However a few developing countries have an effective and sustainable blood program that can deliver equitable, safe and sufficient blood supply to the nation. Different models of hemovigilance program have been introduced with variable success. There are deficiencies but the data collected provided important information that can be presented to the health authorities for effective interventions. Hemovigilance program modeled from developed countries require expertise and resources that are not available in many developing countries. Whatever resources that are available should be utilized to correct deficiencies that are already apparent and obvious. Besides there are other tools that can be used to monitor the blood program in the developing countries depending on the need and the resources available. More importantly the data collected should be accurate and are used and taken into consideration in formulating guidelines, standards and policies and to affect appropriate interventions. Any surveillance program should be introduced in a stepwise manner as the blood transfusion service develops.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution