Uncategorized Bill Brieger | 18 Nov 2021 08:17 am
Infection Prevention and control knowledge and practices of frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
COVID-19 has caused many health projects in Nigeria to reconsider how they function. The TiPToP malaria in pregnancy project of Jhpiego and Unitaid has been adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic by training health workers to be more conscious of infection prevention skills. The abstract below is being presented at the 2021 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting explains what is being done. See Author List below.
Given the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for reducing the transmission of COVID-19, a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted to assess IPC knowledge and practices of frontline health workers – both facility- and community-based health workers (CHWs) – in three local government areas (LGA) in Nigeria: Akure South, Bosso and Ohaukwu. In November 2020, a structured survey was administered to 622 health workers – 294 facility-based (47%) and 328 CHWs (53%) – at 174 primary health care centers.
In each LGA, key informant interviews (KII) were conducted with health department management teams; 5 members from LGA and 3 from State health teams. Of all health workers surveyed, 58% had been trained in IPC during COVID and 5 of 11 questions were correctly answered by >94% of providers; however, 3 questions were correctly answered by 65% or fewer.
More health workers reported that they practiced recommended IPC behaviors during than before the COVID 19. Significant differences were seen for reported washing hands before glove use (70.5% vs 95.2% during COVID), washing hands after glove use (70.5% vs 95.2%), and using a surgical mask in the workplace (61.7% vs 97.6%).
There was no change in reported washing and disinfecting of hands after contact with each patient (69.0% vs 68.6%) or use of an N95 mask in the workplace (8.2% vs 9.1%). Incorrect use of hand sanitizer when hands are visibly soiled however increased (35.8% vs 95.7%). The KIIs confirmed these findings.
As one CHW in Ohaukwu said, “We increased our use of face masks, hand sanitizer and gloves,” while a facility-based health worker from Bosso said, “. . . now we take more precaution than then . . . unlike before we palpate with our hands but now we use gloves.”
KII showed that fear of contracting the disease was the reason for change in behaviors. Despite reports of improved IPC measures, use of N-95 masks and hand sanitizer practices remain sub-optimal. There is need for continued support for correct hand hygiene, and to reinforce the relative importance of different IPC practices to ensure adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures
AUTHOR LIST
Bright Orji 1, Elizabeth Oliveras 2, Emmanuel Ugwa 3, Bartholomew Odio 1, Herbert Onuoha 1, Christina Maly 2, Ibrahim Idris 4, Festus Okoh 5, Emmanuel Dipo Otolorin 1, Elaine Roman 2 — 1Jhpiego, Abuja, Nigeria, 2Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, United States, 3Federal Medical Center, Birnin kudu, Jigawa state, Nigeria, 4Niger State Ministry of Health, Minna, Nigeria, 5National Malaria Elimination Program, Federal MOH, Abuja, Nigeria