Effects of The Covid-19 Pandemic on Health Facilities Preparedness Against an Epidemic of SARS-COV and Cholera in The Dschang Health District

Abstract

Context and Justification: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an epidemic that came on abruptly and therefore affected the world in a short period. To respond effectively to this type of epidemic, healthcare facilities need to prepare properly before and during the epidemic. The level of preparedness determines the response to the problem and the effectiveness of that response. General objective: To assess the effect of COVID-19 on healthcare facilities’ preparedness against an epidemic of cholera and SARS-CoV in the Dschang health district. Methodology: This was an observational, cross-sectional descriptive study with an analytical component that compared the state of preparedness of healthcare facilities against an epidemic before and during COVID-19. The target was the healthcare facilities of the Dschang Health District. A questionnaire was administered face-to-face to those in charge of the healthcare facilities according to an exhaustive sampling of the healthcare facilities. Descriptive statistics were used to present data for the descriptive section. The preparedness progress was determined by comparing means and proportions of variables before and during COVID-19. Results: A total of 72 healthcare facilities were surveyed. Of these, 31 (43.1%) had a ward for the isolation of patients and 58 (80.6%) had a focal point responsible for epidemiological surveillance. Regarding access to water, hygiene, and sanitation, 45 (62.5%) had access to an improved water source and 72 (100.0%) had at least one toilet. During the outbreak, face masks and protective suits respectively were unavailable in 40 (54.1%) and 64 (85.5%) healthcare facilities. There has been a significant improvement in hygiene. The availability of hand washing points and hand sanitizers increased significantly from 23 (31.9%) and 13 (18.1%) to 71 (98.6%) (P-value = 0.000) and 54 (75.0%) (P-value = 0.000) respectively. Conclusion: Even though the availability of resources for epidemic preparedness remains insufficient, they have been significant improvements in the availability of hand washing points and hand sanitizers with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.