Abstract
Growing evidences are showing the potential indirect effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the health systems of low-resource settings, where diseases such as Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Malaria represent major killers. Therefore, we performed a retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on Malaria programs in a peripheral region of Sierra Leone, previously involved by the Ebola outbreak in 2015, when malaria care have been impaired since local health systems were overwhelmed by Ebola cases. During COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, we did not notice a significant drop in malaria diagnosis in children, suggesting that a proactive approach in the management of malaria in endemic countries during COVID-19 may have had a positive impact. A comprehensive approach that include also educational activities to sensitize the local population, was useful to guarantee successful malaria diagnosis and treatment, and prevents excess of malaria deaths due to potential disruption of the local health systems related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Highlights
After the first description in China, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread worldwide and reached Sub-Saharan Africa
Preliminary data arrived from Sierra Leone, where we previously highlighted the social consequences of SARS-CoV-2 lockdown, with most people experiencing economic difficulties and losing their jobs [5]
To understand the impact of COVID-19 on malaria care, we retrospectively evaluated the gross numbers of children aged 0– 60 months diagnosed with confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the Konta Wallah Community Health Center of Port Loko District, Kamasondo Chiefdom, a peripheral governmentrecognized malaria inpatient and outpatient unit, referral for an area of ∼8,000 people
Summary
After the first description in China, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread worldwide and reached Sub-Saharan Africa. The first cases in Africa have been described around March 2020 [1] In this part of the world, the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths is rising day by day, not significantly compared with Europe, Asia, and North and South America [2]. The reasons for such a difference are still unexplained, but multiple factors can be involved, including race, sex, socioeconomic status, genetic differences [3], and lack of testing points in most areas, in the peripheries. The impact on tuberculosis and HIV care has been widely claimed [6], and there is evidence of the negative impact of the pandemic on immunizations [7] and TB services worldwide [8, 9]
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