2
|
Durrance-Bagale A, Marzouk M, Agarwal S, Ananthakrishnan A, Gan S, Hayashi M, Jacob-Chow B, Jiayun K, Tung LS, Mkhallalati H, Newaz S, Omar M, Sittimart M, Ung M, Yuze Y, Yang HL, Howard N. Operationalising Regional Cooperation for Infectious Disease Control: A Scoping Review of Regional Disease Control Bodies and Networks. Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:2392-2403. [PMID: 35042324 PMCID: PMC9818116 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic demonstrates the value of regional cooperation in infectious disease prevention and control. We explored the literature on regional infectious disease control bodies, to identify lessons, barriers and enablers to inform operationalisation of a regional infectious disease control body or network in southeast Asia. METHODS We conducted a scoping review to examine existing literature on regional infectious disease control bodies and networks, and to identify lessons that can be learned that will be useful for operationalisation of a regional infectious disease control body such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center for Public Health Emergency and Emerging Diseases. RESULTS Of the 57 articles included, 53 (93%) were in English, with two (3%) in Spanish and one (2%) each in Dutch and French. Most were commentaries or review articles describing programme initiatives. Sixteen (28%) publications focused on organisations in the Asian continent, with 14 (25%) focused on Africa, and 14 (25%) primarily focused on the European region. Key lessons focused on organisational factors, diagnosis and detection, human resources, communication, accreditation, funding, and sustainability. Enablers and constraints were consistent across regions/ organisations. A clear understanding of the regional context, budgets, cultural or language issues, staffing capacity and governmental priorities, is pivotal. An initial workshop inclusive of the various bodies involved in the design, implementation, monitoring or evaluation of programmes is essential. Clear governance structure, with individual responsibilities clear from the beginning, will reduce friction. Secure, long-term funding is also a key aspect of the success of any programme. CONCLUSION Operationalisation of regional infectious disease bodies and networks is complicated, but with extensive groundwork, and focus on organisational factors, diagnosis and detection, human resources, communication, accreditation, funding, and sustainability, it is achievable. Ways to promote success are to include as many stakeholders as possible from the beginning, to ensure that context-specific factors are considered, and to encourage employees through capacity building and mentoring, to ensure they feel valued and reduce staff turnover.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Durrance-Bagale
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Manar Marzouk
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Aparna Ananthakrishnan
- Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Sarah Gan
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michiko Hayashi
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Beth Jacob-Chow
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Koh Jiayun
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lam Sze Tung
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hala Mkhallalati
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sanjida Newaz
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Maryam Omar
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Manit Sittimart
- Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Mengieng Ung
- Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yang Yuze
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hsu Li Yang
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Natasha Howard
- National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Maharana A, Amutorine M, Sengeh MD, Nsoesie EO. COVID-19 and beyond: Use of digital technology for pandemic response in Africa. SCIENTIFIC AFRICAN 2021; 14:e01041. [PMID: 34746524 PMCID: PMC8565093 DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e01041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of technology has been ubiquitous in efforts to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In this perspective, we review technologies and new approaches developed at the start of the pandemic; efforts earmarked by a flexible approach to problem solving, local tech entrepreneurship, and swift adoption of technology. We performed a systematic review of the use of technology during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in most African countries. We identified relevant articles by searching for mentions of technology, COVID-19, and specific country names. Articles were included if they specifically mentioned the use of technology or novel innovations in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an African country. The article search was conducted in August and included articles published between January and August 2020. We retrieved articles from journals, trusted news, government, and organization websites on Google, Google Scholar and PubMed. A total of 80 articles were retained and categorized under Disease Prevention (19 articles), Disease Surveillance xxx Antipoaching Tech Tracks COVID-19 Flare-Ups in South Africa - Scientific American. (2020, May 12), and Clinical Supplies and Management xxx Ethiopia's digital health response to COVID-19 - JSI. (2020, May 14). African nations used technology and innovative techniques to manage patients, monitor cases and disseminate information to counter the spread of COVID-19. The nature and outcomes of these efforts sometimes differed in Africa compared to other regions of the world due to its unique challenges and opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adyasha Maharana
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, 201 S Columbia St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | | | - Elaine O Nsoesie
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ngoi JM, Quashie PK, Morang'a CM, Bonney JHK, Amuzu DSY, Kumordjie S, Asante IA, Bonney EY, Eshun M, Boatemaa L, Magnusen V, Kotey EN, Ndam NT, Tei-Maya F, Arjarquah AK, Obodai E, Otchere ID, Bediako Y, Mutungi JK, Amenga-Etego LN, Odoom JK, Anang AK, Kyei GB, Adu B, Ampofo WK, Awandare GA. Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 reveals local viral evolution in Ghana. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:960-970. [PMID: 33325750 PMCID: PMC7746953 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220975351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The confirmed case fatality rate for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Ghana has dropped from a peak of 2% in March to be consistently below 1% since May 2020. Globally, case fatality rates have been linked to the strains/clades of circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within a specific country. Here we present 46 whole genomes of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Ghana, from two separate sequencing batches: 15 isolates from the early epidemic (March 12-April 1 2020) and 31 from later time-points ( 25-27 May 2020). Sequencing was carried out on an Illumina MiSeq system following an amplicon-based enrichment for SARS-CoV-2 cDNA. After genome assembly and quality control processes, phylogenetic analysis showed that the first batch of 15 genomes clustered into five clades: 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B, and 20C, whereas the second batch of 31 genomes clustered to only three clades 19B, 20A, and 20B. The imported cases (6/46) mapped to circulating viruses in their countries of origin, namely, India, Hungary, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. All genomes mapped to the original Wuhan strain with high similarity (99.5-99.8%). All imported strains mapped to the European superclade A, whereas 5/9 locally infected individuals harbored the B4 clade, from the East Asian superclade B. Ghana appears to have 19B and 20B as the two largest circulating clades based on our sequence analyses. In line with global reports, the D614G linked viruses seem to be predominating. Comparison of Ghanaian SARS-CoV-2 genomes with global genomes indicates that Ghanaian strains have not diverged significantly from circulating strains commonly imported into Africa. The low level of diversity in our genomes may indicate lower levels of transmission, even for D614G viruses, which is consistent with the relatively low levels of infection reported in Ghana.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce M Ngoi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Peter K Quashie
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Collins M Morang'a
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Joseph HK Bonney
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Dominic SY Amuzu
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Selassie Kumordjie
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Ivy A Asante
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Evelyn Y Bonney
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Miriam Eshun
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Linda Boatemaa
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Vanessa Magnusen
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Erasmus N Kotey
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Nicaise T Ndam
- Mère et Enfant en Milieu Tropical, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Paris, Paris F-75006, France
| | - Frederick Tei-Maya
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Augustina K Arjarquah
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Evangeline Obodai
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Isaac D Otchere
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Yaw Bediako
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Joe K Mutungi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Lucas N Amenga-Etego
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - John K Odoom
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Abraham K Anang
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - George B Kyei
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- University of Ghana Medical Centre, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Bright Adu
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - William K Ampofo
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| | - Gordon A Awandare
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GH 0233, Ghana
| |
Collapse
|