Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34853031›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems in Africa: a scoping review of preparedness, impact and response.

Gizachew A Tessema, Yohannes Kinfu, Berihun Assefa Dachew, Azeb Gebresilassie Tesema, Yibeltal Assefa, Kefyalew Addis Alene, Atsede Fantahun Aregay, Mohammed Biset Ayalew, Woldesellassie M Bezabhe, Ayele Geleto Bali and 17 more

Open access · goldAbstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 154 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
154citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
19.2field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

154 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 266 citations in OpenAlex.

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94 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

27 authors at 20 institutions in 4 countries.

Gizachew A TessemaCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia gizachew.tessema@curtin.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-4784-8151
Yohannes KinfuUniversity of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Berihun Assefa DachewCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Azeb Gebresilassie TesemaThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0618-4499
Yibeltal AssefaSchool of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2393-1492
Kefyalew Addis AleneCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Atsede Fantahun AregayMonash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Mohammed Biset AyalewDepartment of Pharmacy, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
Woldesellassie M BezabheFaculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Ayele Geleto BaliResearch Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Abel Fekadu DadiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Bereket DukoCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Daniel ErkuCentre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Kahsu GebrekidanMonash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Kidane Tadesse GebremariamSchool of Public Health, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Lemlem Gebremedhin GebremichaelCollege of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Eyob Alemayehu GebreyohannesDivision of Pharmacy, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Yalemzewod Assefa GelawDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Hailay Abrha GesesewPublic Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Getiye Dejenu KibretPublic Health, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
Cheru Tesema LeshargieCollege of Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
Maereg Wagnew MeazewMaternal and Child Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.ORCID 0000-0001-7254-7468
Alemayehu MekonnenCentre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Alemnesh H MirkuzieEthiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hassen MohammedVaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Dejen Yemane TekleThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Fisaha Haile TesfaySchool of Public Health, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Curtin University · AUDeakin University · AUFlinders University · AUMonash University · AUThe Kids Research Institute Australia · AUUniversity of Technology Sydney · AUUNSW Sydney · AUCharles Darwin University · AUFederal Ministry of Health · ETGriffith University · AUHaramaya University · ETHawassa University · ETSouth Australian Health and Medical Research Institute · AUThe University of Queensland · AUThe University of Western Australia · AUUniversity of Canberra · AUUniversity of Gondar · ETUniversity of Tasmania · AUUniversity of Washington · USWomen's and Children's Health Network · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems in both developed and developing nations alike. Africa has one of the weakest health systems globally, but there is limited evidence on how the region is prepared for, impacted by and responded to the pandemic.

methodsWe conducted a scoping review of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL to search peer-reviewed articles and Google, Google Scholar and preprint sites for grey literature. The scoping review captured studies on either preparedness or impacts or responses associated with COVID-19 or covering one or more of the three topics and guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The extracted information was documented following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension checklist for scoping reviews. Finally, the resulting data were thematically analysed.

resultsTwenty-two eligible studies, of which 6 reported on health system preparedness, 19 described the impacts of COVID-19 on access to general and essential health services and 7 focused on responses taken by the healthcare systems were included. The main setbacks in health system preparation included lack of available health services needed for the pandemic, inadequate resources and equipment, and limited testing ability and surge capacity for COVID-19. Reduced flow of patients and missing scheduled appointments were among the most common impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health system responses identified in this review included the availability of telephone consultations, re-purposing of available services and establishment of isolation centres, and provisions of COVID-19 guidelines in some settings.

conclusionsThe health systems in Africa were inadequately prepared for the pandemic, and its impact was substantial. Responses were slow and did not match the magnitude of the problem. Interventions that will improve and strengthen health system resilience and financing through local, national and global engagement should be prioritised.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsAfricaHealth Services AccessibilityHumansSARS-CoV-2COVID-19health policyhealth services researchhealth systems

Identifiers

PMID34853031
PMCPMC8637314
OpenAlexW3214982574

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.