Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Abstract Background Ghana has a generalized HIV epidemic and efforts have been made to curb the spread and reverse its effects on the general population. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the health system was unsettled and antiretroviral therapy (ART) care has been impacted in diverse ways. The stu...

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Autores principales:	Susanna Aba Abraham, Gifty Osei Berchie, Patience Fakornam Doe, Elizabeth Agyare, Stephen Ayisi Addo, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	BMC 2021
Materias:	COVID-19 Pandemic ART Healthcare workers Ghana HIV Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/569e7dd8baa1499897ab3c7c05684de6
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:569e7dd8baa1499897ab3c7c05684de62021-12-05T12:06:47ZEffects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana10.1186/s12913-021-07330-21472-6963https://doaj.org/article/569e7dd8baa1499897ab3c7c05684de62021-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07330-2https://doaj.org/toc/1472-6963Abstract Background Ghana has a generalized HIV epidemic and efforts have been made to curb the spread and reverse its effects on the general population. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the health system was unsettled and antiretroviral therapy (ART) care has been impacted in diverse ways. The study sought to explore the effects of COVID-19 on ART service provision in Ghana from the perspectives of the healthcare workers. Methods An exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach was employed in this study. Using maximum variation sampling method, fifteen healthcare workers; nurses, data managers and pharmacists were recruited from an ART clinic in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana. In-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using Braun and Clarke thematic approach. Results Three themes emerged from the data; “… And the pandemic struck”, “Impact of the pandemic on ART service delivery”; “Effecting the needed change”. The healthcare workers’ initial reactions to the pandemic and their show of commitment in ensuring continued ART service was evident. COVID-19 impacted service delivery in three main ways; (1) clients’ clinic attendance was erratic at various stages of the pandemic, (2) irregular resource availability as shortage was reported due to affected last mile delivery as a result of the lockdown in Accra, and (3) the health worker-patient interaction became less engaging because of established COVID-19 protocols. The healthcare workers however instituted strategies such as adjusting the patient appointment schedule, health professionals’ work schedule, establishing several work stations, task-shifting, and ensuring the implementation of all the COVID-19 protocols within the ART unit to ensure consistent service delivery as well as patient and staff safety. The study also found a decline in the implementation of several strategies established in the ART clinic during the initial phases of the pandemic such as a decline in the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by hospital management. Conclusions Although several strategies were implemented to manage the effects of the pandemic on ART care, there is a need to establish pathways of support for healthcare workers within the ART clinic and to consolidate as well as institutionalise the changes that ensured continuous but safe service delivery.Susanna Aba AbrahamGifty Osei BerchiePatience Fakornam DoeElizabeth AgyareStephen Ayisi AddoDorcas Obiri-YeboahBMCarticleCOVID-19PandemicARTHealthcare workersGhanaHIVPublic aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENBMC Health Services Research, Vol 21, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	COVID-19 Pandemic ART Healthcare workers Ghana HIV Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	COVID-19 Pandemic ART Healthcare workers Ghana HIV Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Susanna Aba Abraham Gifty Osei Berchie Patience Fakornam Doe Elizabeth Agyare Stephen Ayisi Addo Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
description	Abstract Background Ghana has a generalized HIV epidemic and efforts have been made to curb the spread and reverse its effects on the general population. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the health system was unsettled and antiretroviral therapy (ART) care has been impacted in diverse ways. The study sought to explore the effects of COVID-19 on ART service provision in Ghana from the perspectives of the healthcare workers. Methods An exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach was employed in this study. Using maximum variation sampling method, fifteen healthcare workers; nurses, data managers and pharmacists were recruited from an ART clinic in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana. In-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using Braun and Clarke thematic approach. Results Three themes emerged from the data; “… And the pandemic struck”, “Impact of the pandemic on ART service delivery”; “Effecting the needed change”. The healthcare workers’ initial reactions to the pandemic and their show of commitment in ensuring continued ART service was evident. COVID-19 impacted service delivery in three main ways; (1) clients’ clinic attendance was erratic at various stages of the pandemic, (2) irregular resource availability as shortage was reported due to affected last mile delivery as a result of the lockdown in Accra, and (3) the health worker-patient interaction became less engaging because of established COVID-19 protocols. The healthcare workers however instituted strategies such as adjusting the patient appointment schedule, health professionals’ work schedule, establishing several work stations, task-shifting, and ensuring the implementation of all the COVID-19 protocols within the ART unit to ensure consistent service delivery as well as patient and staff safety. The study also found a decline in the implementation of several strategies established in the ART clinic during the initial phases of the pandemic such as a decline in the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by hospital management. Conclusions Although several strategies were implemented to manage the effects of the pandemic on ART care, there is a need to establish pathways of support for healthcare workers within the ART clinic and to consolidate as well as institutionalise the changes that ensured continuous but safe service delivery.
format	article
author	Susanna Aba Abraham Gifty Osei Berchie Patience Fakornam Doe Elizabeth Agyare Stephen Ayisi Addo Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
author_facet	Susanna Aba Abraham Gifty Osei Berchie Patience Fakornam Doe Elizabeth Agyare Stephen Ayisi Addo Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
author_sort	Susanna Aba Abraham
title	Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
title_short	Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
title_full	Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
title_fullStr	Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed	Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
title_sort	effects of covid-19 pandemic on art service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in ghana
publisher	BMC
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/569e7dd8baa1499897ab3c7c05684de6
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Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on ART Service delivery: perspectives of healthcare workers in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana

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