Health workers' adherence to the malaria test, treat and track strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic in malaria high transmission area in Eastern Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected malaria control activities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) resulting in 690,000 excess deaths in the year 2021. The authors hypothesized that COVID-19 affected the World Health Organization (WHO) Test, Treat and Track (T3) strategy that has been implemented in Uganda since 2010. In this study, health worker's adherence to the T3 strategy during COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern Uganda was studied by assessing their knowledge, skills and practices. METHODS: A cross-sectional study utilizing mixed quantitative and qualitative data collections methods was conducted at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Eastern Uganda between November and December in 2020. Data were captured on demographics, knowledge, skills and practices for both health workers (HWs) and patients. Quantitative data were analysed using STATA 15.0 and reported as descriptive statistics, proportions and statistical associations. Moreover, qualitative data were collected via key informant interviews (KII) among purposively sampled study participants and analysed thematically using NVIVO software. Ethical approval was obtained prior to the study. RESULTS: A total of 436 study participants, of whom 103/436 (24%) and 333/436 (76%) were HWs and patients, respectively were studied. Among the HWs with mean age of 34 years (SD = 8.8 years), 81/103 (79%) had good practices, most 63/103 (61%) had good knowledge, and only 11/103 (10.7%) had good skills. Specifically, on the cadres, the laboratory personnel 19/103 (18%) had good knowledge 14/19 (74%) OR: 2.0 (95% CI 0.7-6) and were highly skilled OR: 4.6 (95% CI 1.2-18.1; P < 0.0150) compared to other cadres, respectively. Among the patients whose age ranged 3 months to 80 years (mean 17.8 years) and females 177/333 (53%); a majority 257/333 (77%) were tested, of whom 139/333 (42%) tested positive. Out of the positive cases, 115/333 (35%) were treated and tracked. About 75/333 (23%) were not tested but treated for malaria. Of the 168/239 (70.3%) patients tested, 115/168 (68.5%) were positive and treated, P = 0.0001. The KII revealed low level of In-service training, overwhelming number of patients and stock-out of supplies as a key factor for poor HW adherence to T3 strategy. CONCLUSIONS: During COVID-19 pandemic period HWs adherence to T3 initiative was low as 27% malaria patients did not receive treatment.

Characteristics, treatment outcomes and experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care in Kapelebyong district in Uganda: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: A rapid increase in community transmission of COVID-19 across the country overwhelmed Uganda's health care system. In response, the Ministry of Health adopted the home-based care strategy for COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease. We determined the characteristics, treatment outcomes and experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care during the second wave in Kapelebyong district, in eastern Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study. We first collected quantitative data using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to determine characteristics and treatment outcomes of COVID-19 patients under home-based care. Cured at home was coded as 1 (considered a good outcome) while being admitted to a health facility and/or dying were coded as 0 (considered poor outcomes). Thereafter, we conducted 11 in-depth interviews to explore the experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with poor treatment outcomes using Stata v.15.0. Thematic content analysis was used to explore lived experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care using NVivo 12.0.0 RESULTS: A total of 303 study participants were included. The mean age ± standard deviation of participants was 32.2 years ± 19.9. Majority of the participants [96.0% (289/303)] cured at home, 3.3% (10/303) were admitted to a health facility and 0.7% (2/303) died. Patients above 60 years of age had 17.4 times the odds of having poor treatment outcomes compared to those below 60 years of age (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 17.4; 95% CI: 2.2-137.6). Patients who spent more than one month under home-based care had 15.3 times the odds of having poor treatment outcomes compared to those that spent less than one month (AOR: 15.3; 95% CI: 1.6-145.7). From the qualitative interviews, participants identified stigma, fear, anxiety, rejection, not being followed up by health workers and economic loss as negative experiences encountered during home-based care. Positive lived experiences included closeness to friends and family, more freedom, and easy access to food. CONCLUSION: Home-based care of COVID-19 was operational in eastern Uganda. Older age (> 60 years) and prolonged illness (> 1 months) were associated with poor treatment outcomes. Social support was an impetus for home-based care.

Effect of a Community-Led Total Sanitation Intervention on Sanitation and Hygiene in Pallisa District, Uganda.

We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study to examine the potential effects of a community-led total sanitation (CLTS) intervention on sanitation and hygiene in Pallisa district in Uganda. Quantitative data were collected from households using a semi-structured questionnaire and an observation checklist, entered and analyzed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. Overall, knowledge on sanitation and hygiene was significantly higher (64.5%; 129/200) among households in the CLTS intervention than among those in the nonintervention subcounties (54.0%; 108/200) (P = 0.033). Latrine quality was rated as fair in a majority (73.3%; 143/195) of the CLTS intervention households compared with 50.8% (93/183) in the non-CLTS households (P < 0.001). Latrine cleanliness was rated as good in more than a half (51.3%; 100/195) of households in the intervention area, whereas only 13.7% (25/183) for the nonintervention area (P < 0.001). In this study, 35.0% (70/200) of the households in the intervention subcounty had attained open defecation-free (ODF) status compared with only 6.0% (12/200) in the nonintervention subcounty (P < 0.001). Level of knowledge on hygiene and sanitation (adjusted odd ratio [AOR]: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.24-4.03) and CLTS status (AOR: 8.89; 95% CI: 4.26-18.56) were significantly associated with achievement of ODF status in the multivariate analysis. The mean cases of diarrhea were significantly lower in CLTS implementing (subcounty (0.42 [SD ± 1.03]) than in the non-CLTS implementing subcounty (0.98 [SD ± 1.39]; t = -4.6; P < 0.001). Sanitation and hygiene outcomes were better in the CLTS intervention subcounty than in the non-CLTS intervention subcounty, suggesting that scaling up CLTS could reduce ODF and the burden of diarrheal diseases.