ENT health services burdens during COVID-19 pandemic and current critical situations in Sudan

Abstract

Background: Sudan, a Low and Middle-Income Country, has suffered from human resource shortages and severe medical supply following economic troubles in the last few years. The current pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) has worsened the already existing burdens. The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the provision of healthcare services and constitutes a tremendous burden in all branches of medicine globally. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery was not exempted. This article is designed to explore the perception of Sudanese Otolaryngologists in different burdens impacting the delivery, approach, and practice of Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) healthcare services and to explore the situations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted through Google Forms; participants were asked to fill up a multiple-choice questionnaire. Responses collected were analyzed and interpretations were made on basis of the most favored options. Results: Most of the otolaryngologists were working in the governmental urban area and agreed with the shortage and maldistribution of Otolaryngologists in Sudan, besides agreeing with the rarity of training opportunities and migration of qualified Otolaryngologists out of Sudan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most Otolaryngologists observed the lack of Personal-protection equipment (PPE), training, academic activities, and clinical meeting, besides the lack of a triage system and guidelines to covid 19 infection. Almost all the otolaryngologists observed a shortage of ENT materials and quarantines and agreed with the economic instabilities as burdens impede the provision of ENT health services. Conclusion: There were absolute deficiencies in infrastructure, human resources, and equipment in ENT hospitals in Sudan.