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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Three years into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, data on pediatric COVID-19 from African settings is limited. Understanding the impact of the pandemic in this setting with a high burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases is critical to implementing effective interventions in public health programs. RECENT FINDINGS More severe COVID-19 has been reported in African settings, with especially infants and children with underlying comorbidities at highest risk for more severe disease. Data on the role of tuberculosis and HIV remain sparse. Compared to better resourced settings more children with multisystem inflammatory disease (MISC) are younger than 5 years and there is higher morbidity in all settings and increased mortality in some settings. Several reports suggest decreasing prevalence and severity of MIS-C disease with subsequent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant waves. Whether this decrease continues remains to be determined. Thus far, data on long-COVID in African settings is lacking and urgently needed considering the severity of the disease seen in the African population. SUMMARY Considering the differences seen in the severity of disease and short-term outcomes, there is an urgent need to establish long-term outcomes in children with COVID-19 and MIS-C in African children, including lung health assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke M. van der Zalm
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Daniele Dona’
- Division of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Helena Rabie
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Picchioni F, Goulao LF, Roberfroid D. The impact of COVID-19 on diet quality, food security and nutrition in low and middle income countries: A systematic review of the evidence. Clin Nutr 2022; 41:2955-2964. [PMID: 34535329 PMCID: PMC8390094 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The current global pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19), and measures adopted to reduce its spread, threaten the nutritional status of populations in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Documenting how the COVID-19 affects diets, nutrition and food security can help generating evidence-informed recommendations for mitigating interventions and policies. METHODS We carried out a systematic literature review. A structured search strategy was applied in MEDLINE (Pubmed®), EMBASE®, Scopus® and Web of Science®. Grey literature was retrieved by screening a pre-set list of institutions involved in monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition and food security. The first search was done on 20th August 2020, and updated in mid-November 2020 and mid-January 2021. All research steps were described as recommended in the PRISMA statement. RESULTS Out of the 2085 references identified, thirty-five primary studies were included. In spite of their heterogeneity, studies converge to demonstrate a detrimental effect of COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment measures on diet quality and food insecurity. One of the major direct effects of COVID-19 on food and nutrition outcomes has been through its impact on employment, income generating activities and associated purchasing power. Other channels of impact, such as physical access, availability and affordability of food provided a heterogeneous picture and were assessed via binary and often simplistic questions. The impacts of COVID-19 on food systems and diets manifested with various intensity degrees, duration and in different forms. Factors contributing to these variations between and within countries were: 1) timing, duration and stringency of national COVID-19 restriction measures and policies to mitigate their adverse impacts; 2) context specific food value chain responses to domestic and international containment measures; 3) differentiated impacts of restriction measures on different groups, along lines of gender, age, socio-economic status and employment conditions. Shorter value chains and traditional smallholder farms were somewhat more resilient in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the impact of the pandemic has been particularly adverse on women, individuals with a low socio-economic status, informal workers and young adults that relied on daily wages. Finally, there were heterogeneous government responses to curb the virus and to mitigate the damaging effects of the pandemic. It has been demonstrated that existing and well-functioning social protection programmes and public distribution of food can buffer the adverse effects on food insecurity. But social safety nets cannot be effective on their own and there is a need for broader food systems interventions and investments to support sustainable and inclusive food systems to holistically achieve food and nutrition security. CONCLUSION The current economic and heath crisis impacted diet quality and food security. This raises concerns about long term impacts on access to and affordability of nutrient-rich, healthy diets and their health implications. Women and individuals with a low socio-economic are likely to be the most at risk of food insecurity. Social safety nets can be effective to protect them and must be urgently implemented. We advocate for improved data collection to identify vulnerable groups and measure how interventions are successful in protecting them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorella Picchioni
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK,Corresponding author. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Luis F. Goulao
- LEAF (Linking Landscape Environment Agriculture and Food) Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dominique Roberfroid
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Belgium,University of Namur, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Belgium
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Nachega JB, Sam-Agudu NA, Machekano RN, Rosenthal PJ, Schell S, de Waard L, Bekker A, Gachuno OW, Kinuthia J, Mwongeli N, Budhram S, Vannevel V, Somapillay P, Prozesky HW, Taljaard J, Parker A, Agyare E, Opoku AB, Makarfi AU, Abdullahi AM, Adirieje C, Ishoso DK, Pipo MT, Tshilanda MB, Bongo-Pasi Nswe C, Ditekemena J, Sigwadhi LN, Nyasulu PS, Hermans MP, Sekikubo M, Musoke P, Nsereko C, Agbeno EK, Yeboah MY, Umar LW, Ntakwinja M, Mukwege DM, Birindwa EK, Mushamuka SZ, Smith ER, Mills EJ, Otshudiema JO, Mbala-Kingebeni P, Tamfum JJM, Zumla A, Tsegaye A, Mteta A, Sewankambo NK, Suleman F, Adejumo P, Anderson JR, Noormahomed EV, Deckelbaum RJ, Stringer JSA, Mukalay A, Taha TE, Fowler MG, Wasserheit JN, Masekela R, Mellors JW, Siedner MJ, Myer L, Kengne AP, Yotebieng M, Mofenson LM, Langenegger E. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection and Pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A 6-Country Retrospective Cohort Analysis. Clin Infect Dis 2022; 75:1950-1961. [PMID: 36130257 PMCID: PMC9214158 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few data are available on COVID-19 outcomes among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where high-risk comorbidities are prevalent. We investigated the impact of pregnancy on SARS-CoV-2 infection and of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy to generate evidence for health policy and clinical practice. METHODS We conducted a 6-country retrospective cohort study among hospitalized women of childbearing age between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021. Exposures were (1) pregnancy and (2) a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test. The primary outcome for both analyses was intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Secondary outcomes included supplemental oxygen requirement, mechanical ventilation, adverse birth outcomes, and in-hospital mortality. We used log-binomial regression to estimate the effect between pregnancy and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Factors associated with mortality were evaluated using competing-risk proportional subdistribution hazards models. RESULTS Our analyses included 1315 hospitalized women: 510 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2, 403 nonpregnant women with SARS-CoV-2, and 402 pregnant women without SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, pregnancy was associated with increased risk for ICU admission (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.42-4.01), oxygen supplementation (aRR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.44-2.42), and hazard of in-hospital death (adjusted sub-hazard ratio [aSHR]: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.08-3.70). Among pregnant women, SARS-CoV-2 infection increased the risk of ICU admission (aRR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.20-3.35), oxygen supplementation (aRR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.17-2.11), and hazard of in-hospital death (aSHR: 5.03; 95% CI: 1.79-14.13). CONCLUSIONS Among hospitalized women in SSA, both SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy independently increased risks of ICU admission, oxygen supplementation, and death. These data support international recommendations to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean B Nachega
- Correspondence: J. B. Nachega, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and Center for Global Health 130 DeSoto Street, A532 Crabtree Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 ()
| | | | - Rhoderick N Machekano
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Philip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sonja Schell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tygerberg Teaching Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Liesl de Waard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tygerberg Teaching Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Adrie Bekker
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Onesmus W Gachuno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - John Kinuthia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya,Department of Research, Department of Reproductive Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nancy Mwongeli
- Department of Research, Department of Reproductive Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Samantha Budhram
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Valerie Vannevel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kalafong Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Priya Somapillay
- Maternal Foetal Medicine; Steve Biko Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hans W Prozesky
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jantjie Taljaard
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Arifa Parker
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth Agyare
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Akwasi Baafuor Opoku
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Aminatu Umar Makarfi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Asara M Abdullahi
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Chibueze Adirieje
- International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Marc B Tshilanda
- Monkole Hospital Center, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Christian Bongo-Pasi Nswe
- Department of Public Health, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Ethnopharmacologie, Faculty of Medicine, Université Notre-Dame du Kasayi, Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Faculty of Public Health, Université Moderne de Kinkole, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - John Ditekemena
- University of Kinshasa School of Medicine, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Lovemore Nyasha Sigwadhi
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Peter S Nyasulu
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michel P Hermans
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Musa Sekikubo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philippa Musoke
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Christopher Nsereko
- Department of Medicine, Entebbe Regional Reference Hospital, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Evans K Agbeno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Michael Yaw Yeboah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Lawal W Umar
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University and Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Mukanire Ntakwinja
- Gynaecology and General Surgery, Panzi General Referral Hospital, Bukavu, and Université Evangelique en Afrique (UEA), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Denis M Mukwege
- Gynaecology and General Surgery, Panzi General Referral Hospital, Bukavu, and Université Evangelique en Afrique (UEA), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Etienne Kajibwami Birindwa
- Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu and Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Serge Zigabe Mushamuka
- Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu and Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Emily R Smith
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Edward J Mills
- Department of Health Research Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - John Otokoye Otshudiema
- Epidemiological Surveillance Team, COVID-19 Response, Health Emergencies Program, World Health Organization, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Placide Mbala-Kingebeni
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, National Institute of Biomedical Research, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, National Institute of Biomedical Research, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Department of Infection, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, United Kingdom,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aster Tsegaye
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Alfred Mteta
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Nelson K Sewankambo
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Fatima Suleman
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Prisca Adejumo
- Department of Nursing, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Jean R Anderson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Richard J Deckelbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey S A Stringer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Abdon Mukalay
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Taha E Taha
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mary Glenn Fowler
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Judith N Wasserheit
- Departments of Global Health and Medicine, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Refiloe Masekela
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - John W Mellors
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark J Siedner
- Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Landon Myer
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andre-Pascal Kengne
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marcel Yotebieng
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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4
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Nachega JB, Sam-Agudu NA, Machekano RN, Rabie H, van der Zalm MM, Redfern A, Dramowski A, O’Connell N, Pipo MT, Tshilanda MB, Byamungu LN, Masekela R, Jeena PM, Pillay A, Gachuno OW, Kinuthia J, Ishoso DK, Amoako E, Agyare E, Agbeno EK, Martyn-Dickens C, Sylverken J, Enimil A, Jibril AM, Abdullahi AM, Amadi O, Umar UM, Sigwadhi LN, Hermans MP, Otokoye JO, Mbala-Kingebeni P, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Zumla A, Sewankambo NK, Aanyu HT, Musoke P, Suleman F, Adejumo P, Noormahomed EV, Deckelbaum RJ, Fowler MG, Tshilolo L, Smith G, Mills EJ, Umar LW, Siedner MJ, Kruger M, Rosenthal PJ, Mellors JW, Mofenson LM. Assessment of Clinical Outcomes Among Children and Adolescents Hospitalized With COVID-19 in 6 Sub-Saharan African Countries. JAMA Pediatr 2022; 176:e216436. [PMID: 35044430 PMCID: PMC8771438 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.6436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Little is known about COVID-19 outcomes among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where preexisting comorbidities are prevalent. OBJECTIVE To assess the clinical outcomes and factors associated with outcomes among children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study was a retrospective record review of data from 25 hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda from March 1 to December 31, 2020, and included 469 hospitalized patients aged 0 to 19 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection. EXPOSURES Age, sex, preexisting comorbidities, and region of residence. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES An ordinal primary outcome scale was used comprising 5 categories: (1) hospitalization without oxygen supplementation, (2) hospitalization with oxygen supplementation, (3) ICU admission, (4) invasive mechanical ventilation, and (5) death. The secondary outcome was length of hospital stay. RESULTS Among 469 hospitalized children and adolescents, the median age was 5.9 years (IQR, 1.6-11.1 years); 245 patients (52.4%) were male, and 115 (24.5%) had comorbidities. A total of 39 patients (8.3%) were from central Africa, 172 (36.7%) from eastern Africa, 208 (44.3%) from southern Africa, and 50 (10.7%) from western Africa. Eighteen patients had suspected (n = 6) or confirmed (n = 12) multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Thirty-nine patients (8.3%) died, including 22 of 69 patients (31.9%) who required intensive care unit admission and 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with suspected or confirmed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Among 468 patients, 418 (89.3%) were discharged, and 16 (3.4%) remained hospitalized. The likelihood of outcomes with higher vs lower severity among children younger than 1 year expressed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 4.89 (95% CI, 1.44-16.61) times higher than that of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. The presence of hypertension (aOR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.89-18.50), chronic lung disease (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.65-5.37), or a hematological disorder (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.04-9.24) was associated with severe outcomes. Age younger than 1 year (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [asHR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.87), the presence of 1 comorbidity (asHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.72), and the presence of 2 or more comorbidities (asHR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.18-0.38) were associated with reduced rates of hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cohort study of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, high rates of morbidity and mortality were observed among infants and patients with noncommunicable disease comorbidities, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination and therapeutic interventions are needed for young populations in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean B. Nachega
- Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Center for Global Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland,Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nadia A. Sam-Agudu
- International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria,Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore,Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore,Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Rhoderick N. Machekano
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Helena Rabie
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marieke M. van der Zalm
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrew Redfern
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Angela Dramowski
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Natasha O’Connell
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michel Tshiasuma Pipo
- Department of Public Health, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Ethnopharmacologie, Faculty of Medicine, Université Notre-Dame du Kasayi, Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Unit of Sickle Cell Disease and Clinical Research, Monkole Hospital Center, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Marc B. Tshilanda
- Unit of Sickle Cell Disease and Clinical Research, Monkole Hospital Center, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Liliane Nsuli Byamungu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Refiloe Masekela
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Prakash Mohan Jeena
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ashendri Pillay
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Onesmus W. Gachuno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - John Kinuthia
- Department of Research and Programs, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Katuashi Ishoso
- Community Health Department, Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Emmanuella Amoako
- Department of Pediatrics, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Elizabeth Agyare
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Evans K. Agbeno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Justice Sylverken
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana,Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Anthony Enimil
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana,Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Aishatu Mohammed Jibril
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Asara M. Abdullahi
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Oma Amadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Umar Mohammed Umar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Lovemore Nyasha Sigwadhi
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michel P. Hermans
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - John Otshudiema Otokoye
- Health Emergencies Program, COVID-19 Response, World Health Organization, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Placide Mbala-Kingebeni
- National Institute of Biomedical Research, Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum
- National Institute of Biomedical Research, Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, United Kingdom,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals National Health Services Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nelson K. Sewankambo
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Philippa Musoke
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Fatima Suleman
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Prisca Adejumo
- Department of Nursing, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Richard J. Deckelbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Mary Glenn Fowler
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Léon Tshilolo
- Department of Pediatrics, Official University of Mbuji-Mayi, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Le Centre de Formation et d'Appui Sanitaire, Centre Hospitalier Monkole, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Gerald Smith
- Department of Real World and Advanced Analytics, Cytel, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Edward J. Mills
- Department of Real World and Advanced Analytics, Cytel, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lawal W. Umar
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Mark J. Siedner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Mariana Kruger
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Philip J. Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - John W. Mellors
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Lynne M. Mofenson
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia
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Sam-Agudu NA, Quakyi NK, Masekela R, Zumla A, Nachega JB. Children and adolescents in African countries should also be vaccinated for COVID-19. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:e008315. [PMID: 35144923 PMCID: PMC8844949 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia A Sam-Agudu
- International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Nana Kofi Quakyi
- International Projects Unit, The Aurum Institute, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Health Policy and Management, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Refiloe Masekela
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London Medical School, London, UK
- NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Jean B Nachega
- Center for Global Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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6
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Katoto PDMC, Aboubacar I, Oumarou B, Adehossi E, Anya BPM, Mounkaila A, Moustapha A, Ishagh EK, Diawara GA, Nsiari-Muzeyi BJ, Didier T, Wiysonge CS. Clinical features and predictors of mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Niger. Confl Health 2021; 15:89. [PMID: 34906189 PMCID: PMC8669419 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-021-00426-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction COVID-19 has spread across the African continent, including Niger. Yet very little is known about the phenotype of people who tested positive for COVID-19. In this humanitarian crises region, we aimed at characterizing variation in clinical features among hospitalized patients with COVID-19-like syndrome and to determine predictors associated with COVID-19 mortality among those with confirmed COVID-19. Methods The study was a retrospective nationwide cohort of hospitalized patients isolated for COVID-19 infection, using the health data of the National Health Information System from 19 March 2020 (onset of the pandemic) to 17 November 2020. All hospitalized patients with COVID-19-like syndrome at admission were included. A Cox-proportional regression model was built to identify predictors of in-hospital death among patients with confirmed COVID-19. Results Sixty-five percent (472/729) of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 like syndrome tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 among which, 70 (15%) died. Among the patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection, age was significantly associated with increased odds of reporting cough (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.03) and fever/chills (aOR 1.02; 95% CI 1.02–1.04). Comorbidity was associated with increased odds of presenting with cough (aOR 1.59; 95% CI 1.03–2.45) and shortness of breath (aOR 2.03; 95% CI 1.27–3.26) at admission. In addition, comorbidity (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR] 2.04; 95% CI 2.38–6.35), shortness of breath at baseline (aHR 2.04; 95% CI 2.38–6.35) and being 60 years or older (aHR 5.34; 95% CI 3.25–8.75) increased the risk of COVID-19 mortality two to five folds. Conclusion Comorbidity, shortness of breath on admission, and being aged 60 years or older are associated with a higher risk of death among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in a humanitarian crisis setting. While robust prospective data are needed to guide evidence, our data might aid intensive care resource allocation in Niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick D M C Katoto
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, 7501, South Africa.,Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.,Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Bukavu, Bugabo 02, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Issoufou Aboubacar
- Country Office, World Health Organization, Quartier Plateau, Avenue Mohamed VI, 1204, Niamey, Niger
| | - Batouré Oumarou
- Country Office, World Health Organization, Quartier Plateau, Avenue Mohamed VI, 1204, Niamey, Niger
| | - Eric Adehossi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Niamey General Reference Hospital, BP 12674, Niamey, Niger
| | | | - Aida Mounkaila
- Directorate of Statistics, Ministry of Public Health, Niamey, Niger
| | - Adamou Moustapha
- Direction of Surveillance and Response to Epidemics, Ministry of Public Health, Niamey, Niger
| | - El Khalef Ishagh
- Country Office, World Health Organization, Quartier Plateau, Avenue Mohamed VI, 1204, Niamey, Niger
| | | | - Biey Joseph Nsiari-Muzeyi
- Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, World Health Organization, Independence Street, Gate 0058, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Tambwe Didier
- Country Office, World Health Organization, Quartier Plateau, Avenue Mohamed VI, 1204, Niamey, Niger
| | - Charles Shey Wiysonge
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, 7501, South Africa. .,Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa. .,School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa.
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7
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Opportunities and Challenges in North-South and South-South Global Health Collaborations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The AFREhealth-CUGH Experience (as Reported at the CUGH 2021 Satellite Meeting). Ann Glob Health 2021; 87:90. [PMID: 34567982 PMCID: PMC8428289 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.3440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustainable and equitable partnerships and collaborations between the Global North and Global South (as well as within the Global South) have been aspirations (if seldom achieved) of the “global health” endeavor over the past couple of decades. The COVID-19 pandemic led to global lockdowns that disrupted international travel and severely challenged these partnerships, providing a critical space for self-reflection on global health as a discipline. One major global north-south partnership is that between the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH). This article reports on a recent Satellite meeting of the AFREhealth-CUGH Working Group (ACWG) at the CUGH 2021 virtual conference in March 2021 that provided insights on North-South and South-South global health partnerships, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors describe challenges and opportunities for research and education in these partnerships (as discussed at this ACWG Satellite meeting), and implications for the field of global health going forward as we emerge from the pandemic.
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8
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Fanning JP, Murthy S, Obonyo NG, Baillie JK, Webb S, Dalton HJ, Fraser JF. Global infectious disease research collaborations in crises: building capacity and inclusivity through cooperation. Global Health 2021; 17:84. [PMID: 34311748 PMCID: PMC8313114 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The initial research requirements in pandemics are predictable. But how is it possible to study a disease that is so quickly spreading and to rapidly use that research to inform control and treatment? MAIN BODY In our view, a dilemma with such wide-reaching impact mandates multi-disciplinary collaborations on a global scale. International research collaboration is the only means to rapidly address these fundamental questions and potentially change the paradigm of data sharing for the benefit of patients throughout the world. International research collaboration presents significant benefits but also barriers that need to be surmounted, especially in low- and middle-income countries. CONCLUSION Facilitating international cooperation, by building capacity in established collaborative platforms and in low- and middle-income countries, is imperative to efficiently answering the priority clinical research questions that can change the trajectory of a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon P Fanning
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Critical Care Research Group, The Prince Charles Hospital, 627 Rode Road, Chermside, 4032, Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building, Chermside, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Srinivas Murthy
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nchafatso G Obonyo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, The Prince Charles Hospital, 627 Rode Road, Chermside, 4032, Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building, Chermside, Queensland, Australia
- Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL)/KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - J Kenneth Baillie
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Intensive Care Unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steve Webb
- Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Heidi J Dalton
- Inova Fairfax Medical Centre, Heart and Vascular Institute, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - John F Fraser
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, The Prince Charles Hospital, 627 Rode Road, Chermside, 4032, Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building, Chermside, Queensland, Australia
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Nachega JB, Sam-Agudu NA, Masekela R, van der Zalm MM, Nsanzimana S, Condo J, Ntoumi F, Rabie H, Kruger M, Wiysonge CS, Ditekemena JD, Chirimwami RB, Ntakwinja M, Mukwege DM, Noormahomed E, Paleker M, Mahomed H, Tamfum JJM, Zumla A, Suleman F. Addressing challenges to rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in African countries. Lancet Glob Health 2021; 9:e746-e748. [PMID: 33713633 PMCID: PMC7946417 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(21)00097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jean B Nachega
- Department of Medicine and Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Center for Global Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Nadia A Sam-Agudu
- International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Pediatrics and Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Refiloe Masekela
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Marieke M van der Zalm
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Jeanine Condo
- School of Public Health, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda; School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Francine Ntoumi
- Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo; Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Helena Rabie
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mariana Kruger
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Charles S Wiysonge
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - John D Ditekemena
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo
| | | | | | - Denis M Mukwege
- Panzi Hospital, Université Evangelique en Afrique, Bukavu, DR Congo
| | | | - Masudah Paleker
- Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Western Cape Department of Health, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Hassan Mahomed
- Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Western Cape Department of Health, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo; National Institute of Biomedical Research, Kinshasa, DR Congo
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Fatima Suleman
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Aduh U, Ewa AU, Sam-Agudu NA, Urhioke O, Kusimo O, Ugwu C, Fadare OA, Anyaike C. Addressing gaps in adolescent tuberculosis programming and policy in Nigeria from a public health perspective. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2021; 33:41-51. [PMID: 33913304 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2020-0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death globally. Of the estimated 10 million people who developed active TB in 2019, 1.8 million (18%) were adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years. Adolescents have poorer rates of TB screening, treatment initiation and completion compared to adults. Unfortunately, there is relatively less programme, research and policy focus on TB for adolescents aged 10-19 years. This article reviews the scope of health services and the relevant policy landscape for TB case notification and care/treatment, TB/HIV management, and latent TB infection for adolescents in Nigeria. Additionally, it discusses considerations for TB vaccines in this population. CONTENT All Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health policy documents relevant to adolescent health services and TB, and published between 2000 and 2020 underwent narrative review. Findings were reported according to the service areas outlined in the Objectives. SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK Nine policy documents were identified and reviewed. While multiple policies acknowledge the needs of adolescents in public health and specifically in TB programming, these needs are often not addressed in policy, nor in program integration and implementation. The lack of age-specific epidemiologic and clinical outcomes data for adolescents contributes to these policy gaps. Poor outcomes are driven by factors such as HIV co-infection, lack of youth-friendly health services, and stigma and discrimination. Policy guidelines and innovations should include adaptations tailored to adolescent needs. However, these adaptations cannot be developed without robust epidemiological data on adolescents at risk of, and living with TB. Gaps in TB care integration into primary reproductive, maternal-child health and nutrition services should be addressed across multiple policies, and mechanisms for supervision, and monitoring and evaluation of integration be developed to guide comprehensive implementation. Youth-friendly TB services are recommended to improve access to quality care delivered in a patient-centered approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ufuoma Aduh
- World Health Organisation, Abuja, Nigeria
- Texila American University, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Atana Uket Ewa
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Nadia A Sam-Agudu
- International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
- Institute of Human Virology and Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Ochuko Urhioke
- National TB and Leprosy Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Chukwuma Anyaike
- National TB and Leprosy Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria
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