Coronavirus: WHO says pandemic significantly impacts health services for NCDs in sub-Saharan Africa

01 Juin 2020

Kigali, Rwanda, June 1 (Infosplusgabon) - Prevention and treatment services for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have been severely disrupted since the COVID-19 pandemic began especially in sub-Saharan Africa, according to survey released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Monday.

The survey, which was completed by 155 countries during a 3-week period in May, confirmed that the impact is global, but that low-income countries are most affected.

This situation is of significant concern because people living with NCDs are at higher risk of severe COVID-19-related illness and death, the UN agency said.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said the results of this survey "confirm what we have been hearing from countries for a number of weeks now".

"Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services for NCDs continue, even as they fight COVID-19," Dr Tedros said.

The main finding is that health services have been partially or completely disrupted in many countries.

More than half (53%) of the countries surveyed have partially or completely disrupted services for hypertension treatment; 49% for treatment for diabetes and diabetes-related complications; 42% for cancer treatment, and 31% for cardiovascular emergencies.

It said that rehabilitation services have been disrupted in almost two-thirds (63%) of countries, even though rehabilitation is key to a healthy recovery following severe illness from COVID-19.

The new findings indicate that the postponement of public screening programmes, for example, for breast and cervical cancer, was also widespread, reported by more than 50% of countries. This was consistent with initial WHO recommendations to minimise non-urgent facility-based care whilst tackling the pandemic.

But the most common reasons for discontinuing or reducing services were cancellations of planned treatments, a decrease in public transport available and a lack of staff because health workers had been reassigned to support COVID19 services, the UN agency.

Encouraging findings of the survey were that alternative strategies have been established in most countries to support the people at highest risk to continue receiving treatment for NCDs.

It is very important not only that care for people living with NCDs is included in national response and preparedness plans for COVID-19 -̶  but that innovative ways are found to implement those plans, the statement said.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/ART/GABON2020

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