scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immunization Campaigns and Programs: A Systematic Review

Author(s):  
Zohra S. Lassi ◽  
Rabia Naseem ◽  
Rehana A. Salam ◽  
Faareha Siddiqui ◽  
Jai K. Das

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on health service delivery, including immunization programs, and this review assesses the impact on vaccine coverage across the globe and identifies the potential underlying factors. A systematic search strategy was employed on PubMed, Embase, MedRxiv, BioRxiv, and WHO COVID-19 databases from December 2019 till 15 September 2020. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, assessed quality, and extracted the data (PROSPERO registration #CRD42020182363). A total of 17 observational studies were included. The findings suggest that there was a reduction in the vaccination coverage and decline in total number of vaccines administered, which led to children missing out on their vaccine doses. An approximately fourfold increase was also observed in polio cases in polio endemic countries. Factors contributing to low vaccine coverage included fear of being exposed to the virus at health care facilities, restriction on city-wide movements, shortage of workers, and diversion of resources from child health to address the pandemic. As the world re-strategizes for the post-2020 era, we should not let a crisis go to waste as they provide an opportunity to establish guidelines and allocate resources for future instances. High-quality supplementary immunization activities and catch-up programs need to be established to address gaps during the pandemic era.

Author(s):  
Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽  
Ahad Heydari ◽  
Farin Fatemi ◽  
Ali Modarresi

Abstract Objectives: Iran is exposed to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards. Health-care facilities can play a significant role in providing life-saving measures in the minutes and hours immediately following the impact or exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the preparedness of health-care facilities in disasters and emergencies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Damghan, Semnan Province, in 2019. The samples consisted of all the 11 health-care facilities located in Damghan County. A developed checklist was used to collect the data, including 272 questions in 4 sections: understanding threatening hazards, functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability of health-care facilities. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The results revealed that the health-care facilities were exposed to 22 different natural and man-made hazards throughout the county. The total level of preparedness of the health-care centers under assessment was 45.8%. The average functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability was assessed at 49.3%, 31.6%, and 56.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Conducting mitigation measures is necessary for promoting the functional and structural preparedness. Disaster educational programs and exercises are recommended among the health staff in health-care facilities.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s1-s2
Author(s):  
C. Bambaren

IntroductionOn February 27, 2010, a 8,8 MW earthquake struck the central and southern coast of Chile, that was followed by a tsunami that destroyed some cities such as Constitution, Ilaco, Talcahuando and Dichato. The national authorities reported 512 dead and 81,444 homes were affected. It was the one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the human modern history. The most affected regions were Maule (VII) and Bio (VIII).ResultsThe impact of the quake in the health sector was enormous especially on the health care infrastructure. The preliminary evaluations showed that 18 hospitals were out of service due severe structural and no-structural damages, interruption of the provision of water or because they were at risk to landslides. Another 31 hospitals had moderate damage. The Ministry of Health lost 4249 beds including 297 (7%) in critical care units. Twenty-two percent of the total number of beds and thirty-nine surgical facilities available in the affected regions were lost in a few minutes due to quake. At least eight hospitals should be reconstructed and other hospitals will need complex repair.ConclusionThe effect of the earthquake was significant on hospital services. It included damages to the infrastructure and the loss of furniture and biomedical equipment. The interruption of the cold chain caused loss of vaccines. National and foreign field hospitals, temporary facilities and the strengthening of the primary health care facilities had been important to assure the continuation of health care services. *Based on information from PAHO – Chile.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-257
Author(s):  
Ehsan Mousavi ◽  
Vivek Sharma ◽  
Dhaval Gajjar ◽  
Shervin Shoai Naini

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the control cubes for dust control in health-care facilities. Research shows that more than 80% of pathogenic agents in hospitals are spread into the air, where they either remain airborne or deposit on the surface. At the same time, renovation and repair activities, including regular maintenance, are a necessity in active health-care facilities and a multitude of studies have documented their impact on indoor air quality. The dust that is generated by construction activities may potentially carry pathogenic agents, varying from coarse particles (≤10 µm, PM10) to fine particles (≤2.5 µm, PM2.5), including airborne bacteria, and fungal spores linked to high patient mortality in immune-compromised patients. Design/methodology/approach This study measures the impact and effectiveness of one such preventative measure, namely, the control cube (CC), on air quality during renovation and repair. CC is a temporary structure, typically made from stainless steel, around the local repair zone to minimize the spread of dust and potential microorganisms. The current paper presents a comparative analysis to identify the effectiveness of a CC equipped with the high-efficiency particulate filtration (HEPA) filter in a hospital setting by simulating construction renovation and repair work. Findings A baseline was established to measure the effectiveness of CCs and the impact of negative pressure on the indoor air quality in a hospital during simulated renovation work. Results showed that CCs are very effective in minimizing the spread of dust due to construction activities in the hospital. However, it is imperative to ensure that the air inside the CC is cleaned via filtration. Originality/value CCs are very effective, and this paper investigates the best approach for facility managers to implement this strategy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (46) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Giddings ◽  
Maria Krutikov ◽  
Tom Palmer ◽  
Christopher Fuller ◽  
Borscha Azmi ◽  
...  

We describe the impact of changing epidemiology and vaccine introduction on characteristics of COVID-19 outbreaks in 330 long-term care facilities (LTCF) in England between November 2020 and June 2021. As vaccine coverage in LTCF increased and national incidence declined, the total number of outbreaks and outbreak severity decreased across the LTCF. The number of infected cases per outbreak decreased by 80.6%, while the proportion of outbreaks affecting staff only increased. Our study supports findings of vaccine effectiveness in LTCF.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Abdu J. Bhombo ◽  
Oscar Mwashiuya ◽  
Wilhellmuss I. Mauka ◽  
Elineema Meda ◽  
Iragi Ngerageza ◽  
...  

Background: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving therapy which is linked to the adverse outcome when given inappropriately. Inadequate knowledge and skills among health care providers have been reported to contribute to safety issues for recipients and wastage of the precious resource. This study was conducted to determine the impact of training of health care providers in Tanzania on improving the knowledge regarding the transfusion of blood and blood components.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study which used secondary data from pre and post training assessment questionnaire whereby trainees answered the same set of questions before training (pre-test) and after training (post-test). The questionnaire consisted of two Likert scale questions and eight YES/NO questions which assessed the perception of clinicians, nurses and Laboratory personnel on blood transfusion practices. Moreover, there were thirty multiple-choice questions for assessment of basic knowledge related to usage of blood and blood components.Results: One hundred and eleven (111) health care providers who attended training on blood transfusion were recruited into this study, out of which 72.1% (80/111) were from secondary health care facilities and 6.3% (7/111) were from tertiary health care facilities. The pre-test mean percent score was 32.8% (SD ±12.9%), while the post-test mean percent score was 56.6% (SD ±12.9%). The mean percentage of knowledge gain was 26.6% (SD±13.0%) and 27.1% (SD±12.5%) for health care providers and National Blood Transfusion Service staff respectively. It was observed that only 25.8% (24/93) and 19% (19/100) of participants were aware of the transfusion timing of various blood components and principles of platelet transfusion, respectively. Regarding bedside blood handling practices, only 52.9% (46/87) responded, ‘warm whole blood unit and packed red blood by putting under room temperature for 30 minutes and the majority of participants 63.1% (65/103) reported not to ask for consent before blood transfusion.Conclusion: There was a modest improvement in the knowledge on blood transfusion practice among participants. The overall performance of participants increased from 33% in the pre-test to 57% in the post-test. Therefore, this study has shown the positive impact of training for health care providers in improving their knowledge. We recommend regular on job training courses and mentorship program for health care providers for proficiency in clinical transfusion practice. Key words: Blood Transfusion, Training and Health care providers.


Author(s):  
Aleksandra Rosiek-Kryszewska ◽  
Anna Rosiek

This chapter discusses the leadership features that support the creation of an innovative culture of the organization, with particular emphasis on the attributes that are essential to building a competitive advantage in the medical services market. According to the concept of new management, managers are the initiators of change and development within the healthcare facility where they work. They require professionalism and a high level of competence which allows them to create and implement creative management solutions. Thus, the influence of management and the role of the leader in building competitive health care units is undisputed. Due to the specific nature of health care facilities, the ability to build trust, as well as the clear and precise communication of plans and visions, is gaining importance, in addition to knowledge and experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Fadli Ramadhansyah ◽  
Arief Nugroho ◽  
Nur Endah Wahyuningsih

Policy briefs have an important role in solving problems that exist in a health agency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. One example of the problems that exist in health care facilities is air pollution that comes from the ashes resulting from the burning of medical waste. The impact of air pollution on humans is that it triggers respiratory disorders which are characterized by a decrease in the elasticity of the lungs to accommodate the volume of air so that this can be associated with the incidence of respiratory disorders. In addition, it has a small particle size and is scattered in the air in large quantities. The purpose of this study is to provide information related to the summary of policy making that is used as a reference to increase the effectiveness of processing ash from combustion based on a review study. This study uses a descriptive method with a literature review approach. The criteria for the articles used have a publication time of the last 10 years, discuss the utilization of combustion ash, and discuss the policy of processing incinerator ash waste. Making a policy brief can be used as a starting point for advocating for local governments to use ash from burning as an alternative to building materials to reduce air pollution and the accumulation of ash waste that accumulates in incinerators in health care facilities.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. e037458
Author(s):  
Nick Andrews ◽  
Julia Stowe ◽  
Galena Kuyumdzhieva ◽  
Bersabeh Sile ◽  
Ivelina Yonova ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo assess the impact of herpes zoster vaccination in the 5 years after introduction for 70- to 79-year-olds in England in September 2013.DesignPopulation based ecological impact assessment.SettingHospitals covering the whole English population for the period 2008 to 2018 and 293 general practices (GP) for the period 2005 to 2018, in England.ParticipantsOver the period the population contributed 117·5 million person-years for hospitalisation events and 6.96 million person-years for GP events in individuals aged 60 to 89.InterventionsLive attenuated herpes zoster vaccination (Zostavax), first used on 1st September 2013, in 70- and 79-year-olds with continued use in new 70 year-olds and with a staged catch-up of those aged 71 to 78 years in 2013.Outcome measuresHerpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) consultation and hospitalisation rates in age-cohorts according to vaccine eligibility. Incidence rate ratios in age-cohorts eligible for vaccination compared with those non-eligible were calculated by Poisson regression. This was used to estimate prevented cases and, along with vaccine coverage, to estimate vaccine effectiveness.ResultsLarge and prolonged reductions in herpes zoster and PHN consultations and hospitalisations were observed in the 5 years post-implementation. For example, in 79 year-olds first eligible in 2013, the incidence rate ratio for consultations 5 years later was 0·65 (95% CI: 0·52 to 0·81). Over the whole period an estimated 40 500 fewer zoster consultations and 1840 fewer zoster hospitalisations occurred because of the vaccination programme. These reductions were consistent with effectiveness in the routine cohorts (vaccinated aged 70) of between 37% (for hospitalised zoster) and 75% (for PHN consultations) and, in catch up cohorts (vaccinated aged 78 to 79) of between 49% (for hospitalised PHN) and 66% (for PHN consultations).ConclusionGiven the clear and sustained impact of herpes zoster vaccination over the 5-year period since introduction, optimising vaccination coverage is important to attain maximum benefit.


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