Conference abstract
Availability of protective tools and care equipment regarding COVID-19 management in health facilities of Douala health districts in Cameroon
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:18(14).03
Oct 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.18.14.2060
Archived on: 03 Oct 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Health facilities preparedness, COVID-19, Douala, Cameroon
Oral presentation
Availability of protective tools and care equipment regarding COVID-19 management in health facilities of Douala health districts in Cameroon
Ketina Hirma Tchio-Nighie1,&, Sonia Nafack Sonkeng1, Frank Forex Kiadjieu Dieumo1, Herve Tchokomeni1, Jerome Ateudjieu1
1M.A. SANTE, Yaoundé, Cameroun
&Corresponding author
Introduction: health facilities play a central key role in the response to epidemics and health emergencies both for case detection and management. To ensure their tasks, they need to be equipped with appropriate equipment and tools. This survey was conducted to assess the availability of protective tools and care equipment regarding COVID-19 management in health facilities of Douala Cameroon.
Methods: this was a cross-sectional descriptive study targeting all officially existing health facilities of the Bangue, Bonassama, Cité des Palmiers, and Deido health districts in the Littoral region of Cameroon. Data were collected in March 2021 using a questionnaire administered to key personnel of each health facility to assess the availability of equipment and protective tools regarding COVID-19 management.
Results: a total of 95 health facilities were reached and 84 (88.43%) consented to participate including 7 (8.33%) public, 73 (86.90%) private, and 4 (4.76%) confessional health facilities. Among the participating health facilities, 22 (26.19%) had personal protective materials for the personnel and 5 (6.00%) had isolation rooms. Oxygen kits for COVID-19 patients were available in 12 (14.29%) health facilities including 66.7% of confessional, 13.8% of private, and 50.0% of public health facilities. Regarding personnel equipment, face masks, medical gloves, catheters, rapid diagnostics, and oxygen saturation kits, the mean number available in health facilities was 1327.5, 223.3, 107.2, 7.6, and 5.6 respectively.
Conclusion: the present study reveals an uneven distribution of materials between types of health facilities and a relatively low availability of materials for cases detection of COVID-19 cases and safe management by health personnel.
Availability of protective tools and care equipment regarding COVID-19 management in health facilities of Douala health districts in Cameroon
Ketina Hirma Tchio-Nighie1,&, Sonia Nafack Sonkeng1, Frank Forex Kiadjieu Dieumo1, Herve Tchokomeni1, Jerome Ateudjieu1
1M.A. SANTE, Yaoundé, Cameroun
&Corresponding author
Introduction: health facilities play a central key role in the response to epidemics and health emergencies both for case detection and management. To ensure their tasks, they need to be equipped with appropriate equipment and tools. This survey was conducted to assess the availability of protective tools and care equipment regarding COVID-19 management in health facilities of Douala Cameroon.
Methods: this was a cross-sectional descriptive study targeting all officially existing health facilities of the Bangue, Bonassama, Cité des Palmiers, and Deido health districts in the Littoral region of Cameroon. Data were collected in March 2021 using a questionnaire administered to key personnel of each health facility to assess the availability of equipment and protective tools regarding COVID-19 management.
Results: a total of 95 health facilities were reached and 84 (88.43%) consented to participate including 7 (8.33%) public, 73 (86.90%) private, and 4 (4.76%) confessional health facilities. Among the participating health facilities, 22 (26.19%) had personal protective materials for the personnel and 5 (6.00%) had isolation rooms. Oxygen kits for COVID-19 patients were available in 12 (14.29%) health facilities including 66.7% of confessional, 13.8% of private, and 50.0% of public health facilities. Regarding personnel equipment, face masks, medical gloves, catheters, rapid diagnostics, and oxygen saturation kits, the mean number available in health facilities was 1327.5, 223.3, 107.2, 7.6, and 5.6 respectively.
Conclusion: the present study reveals an uneven distribution of materials between types of health facilities and a relatively low availability of materials for cases detection of COVID-19 cases and safe management by health personnel.
