COVID-19 response in South African communities: Screening, testing, tracing and movement modelling

Modisenyane, Moeketsi; Madikezela, L; Mngemane, Shadrack; Ramadan, O P; Matlalal, S; McCarthy, Kerrigan; Govender, Nevashan; Nemungadi, Takalani Girly; Silal, Sheetal P

doi:10.7196/samj.2022.v112i5b.16072

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Since the beginning of the pandemic, South Africa reported much higher numbers of COVID-19 cases [ 16 ] than Lesotho and Zambia where our two community strategies were implemented. However, this and other studies in South Africa [ 1 , 17 , 18 ] reporting on community-based COVID-19 screening and testing did not report much detail on characteristics of participants seen and/or tested but rather reported aggregated data. Therefore, it is difficult to compare such details with the participants included in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…In other studies, an even higher number of people could be reached, and the yield was higher than what we observed in our study. A study in South Africa [ 1 ], covering all the South African provinces, reported a daily rate of 10,000 to 15,000 COVID-19 tests with a positivity rate of 19.25%. The difference observed with the findings in our study may be due to differences in the number of people targeted, the number of human resources deployed and the COVID-19 prevalence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global public health emergency at unprecedented scale [ 1 , 2 ]. In sub-Saharan Africa, till the end of 2022 over 9 million cases were notified with approximately 175,000 deaths [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In South Africa, a community-based COVID-19 response was implemented at the very beginning of the pandemic as part of the epidemic response. The aim was to provide, on the one hand, screening, and testing services to the community and on the other hand an opportunity for direct surveillance [ 1 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Creating access to SARS-CoV-2 screening and testing through community-based COVID-19 case-finding, observations from cross-sectional studies in Lesotho and Zambia

Klinkenberg,

Katende,

Ruperez

et al. 2023

BMC Public Health

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Background The health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic largely depends on the ability of the healthcare systems to develop effective and adaptable preparedness and mitigation strategies. A collaborative initiative (BRCCH-EDCTP COVID-19 Initiative) was set up between Lesotho and Zambia early on in the pandemic, to jointly conduct a project to investigate creating access to SARS-CoV-2 screening and testing through community-based COVID-19 case-finding. Methods Two different community case-finding strategies were deployed. In Lesotho, an approach was implemented whereby a community (village) health worker screened community members at their home or during community gatherings for COVID-19 signs and symptoms. All community members who screened positive were then offered SARS-CoV-2 testing. In Zambia, so-called community hubs, staffed by community health care workers, were set up at different locations in the community for people to walk in and get tested for SARS-CoV-2. Hubs changed location from week-to-week and targeted transmission hotspots. All persons visiting the hubs were offered testing for SARS-CoV-2 irrespective of self-reported signs and symptoms of COVID-19 though information was collected on occurrence of these. Testing in both approaches was done using SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests. Results Setting up testing in the community setting was feasible in both countries. In Lesotho in the village health worker approach, over a period of 46 weeks, 7221 persons were screened, and 49 (11.4%) SARS-COV-2 cases identified among 428 COVID-19 screen positive participants. In the community hubs among 3150 people tested, 166 (5.3%) SARS-CoV-2 cases were identified in a period of 26 weeks. From the community hubs approach, where all seen were offered COVID-19 testing it was learned that people screening positive for COVID-19 signs and symptoms were more likely to test SARS-COV-2 positive, especially those reporting classic COVID-19 symptoms like loss of sense/smell for a short period of time (1–3 days). Conclusions In conclusion, in this project we learned that implementing COVID-19 screening and testing by lay health workers in the community is possible. Characteristics of the population screened, tested, and identified to have SARS-CoV-2 are described to help guide development of future testing strategies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Creating access to SARS-CoV-2 screening and testing through community-based COVID-19 case-finding, observations from cross-sectional studies in Lesotho and Zambia

Klinkenberg,

Katende,

Ruperez

et al. 2023

BMC Public Health

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“…Certain health, rehabilitation and social services came to a halt as resources had to be redistributed to assist with the treatment of COVID-19 patients (Lew et al 2020 ). Because of a lack of close collaboration between sectors at all the different levels of management, the identification and agreement on what is deemed priority essential services, resulted in a breakdown in the continuity of care (Modisenyane et al 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lived experiences of South African rehabilitation practitioners during coronavirus disease 2019

Balton,

Pillay,

Armien

et al. 2024

African Journal of Disability

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Background: In South Africa, the sharp rise in people with severe illness because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in early 2020, meant that health systems needed to adapt services and operations, including rehabilitation services. Important insights into the lived experiences of rehabilitation personnel enacting these adaptations in an African context are limited.Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of rehabilitation practitioners working in the public sector in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.Method: A phenomenological approach and a duo-ethnographic design were used. A recruitment letter was circulated requesting volunteers. Maximum variation sampling was used to select the 12 participants of this study. Data were collected through interviews via Zoom, and critical conversations were facilitated by a non-rehabilitation partner who is known for challenging health inequities. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed through elements of qualitative content and thematic analysis. Data were coded, categorised, clustered into concepts and formulated into themes.Results: Three themes were identified: (1) ‘Management became the enemy’, (2) ‘Tired of being resilient’ and (3) ‘Think out of the box…think on our feet’.Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted new ways of practice, innovative adaptations, and usage of resources and platforms.Contribution: This study highlights the re-imagining of accessible rehabilitation services that could lead to deeper onto-epistemological shifts amongst the rehabilitation practitioners.

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Employee Wellness in South Africa During and Post the COVID Pandemic

Carrim,

Erasmus,

Gupta

et al. 2024

Employee Wellbeing in the Global South

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COVID-19 response in South African communities: Screening, testing, tracing and movement modelling

Cited by 9 publications

References 9 publications

Creating access to SARS-CoV-2 screening and testing through community-based COVID-19 case-finding, observations from cross-sectional studies in Lesotho and Zambia

Creating access to SARS-CoV-2 screening and testing through community-based COVID-19 case-finding, observations from cross-sectional studies in Lesotho and Zambia

Lived experiences of South African rehabilitation practitioners during coronavirus disease 2019

Employee Wellness in South Africa During and Post the COVID Pandemic

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