The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is concerned about inaccurate information being distributed through traditional and social media regarding prevention and treatment of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Em resposta aos primeiros casos de doença coronavírus de 2019 (COVID-19) notificados no continente, muitos Estados-Membros da União Africana implementaram rapidamente medidas sociais e de saúde pública em larga escala (PHSM). Estas medidas visavam reduzir a transmissão e o número de novos cas...os notificados, proteger as populações mais vulneráveis e dar tempo aos países para aumentarem os serviços críticos de saúde e diagnóstico. Embora estas acções rápidas tenham ganho tempo para os Estados-Membros, os impactos socioeconómicos negativos estão a fazer-se sentir amplamente e os países estão agora a estudar a melhor forma de atenuar estas medidas, ao mesmo tempo que gerem o surto.
more
Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is aware of the media releases of the preliminary results of a large randomized clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom, which included dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, as one of the drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19 patien...ts. The investigators reported that administration of oral or injectable dexamethasone resulted in about one-third reduction in mortality among COVID-19 patientsi that required mechanical ventilation and about one-fifth for patients requiring oxygen.
more
Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) está ciente dos comunicados de imprensa sobre os resultados preliminares de um grande ensaio clínico aleatório realizado no Reino Unido, que incluía dexametasona, um corticosteróide, como um dos medicamentos utilizados para o tratam...ento de doentes com COVID-19. Os investigadores relataram que a administração de dexametasona oral ou injectável resultou numa redução de cerca de um terço na mortalidade entre os doentes com COVID-19 que necessitavam de ventilação mecânica e cerca de um quinto para os doentes que necessitavam de oxigénio. Desde a publicação destes relatórios nos meios de comunicação social, as autoridades sanitárias do Reino Unido e da África do Sul adoptaram a dexametasona para o tratamento de doentes com formas graves de COVID-19
more
This document simplifies the WHO guidance on severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) treatment centres and is meant to be accessible to healthcare workers, policymakers and others who want
a quick overview of the key requirements for a COVID-19 isolation centre either within an existing facility ...or as a standalone centre.
more
It is intended for use among clinicians taking care of moderate to severe COVID-19 cases.
The COVID-19 outbreak has brought with it the need for improved critical care for patients who develop severe disease. The majority of COVID-19 patients present with mild to moderate illness, 15% develop sever...e illness and about 5% develop critical conditions needing intensive care unit (ICU) care, requiring noninvasive or invasive ventilation
more
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the use of pooled sample testing strategy in coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
testing laboratories of the African Union Member States for scaling up SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing capacity with the available resources. The current document descr...ibes the effect of factors such as the prevalence of COVID-19 in the population to be tested, the homogeneity of pools, and the sensitivity of the molecular test in optimal pool size determination. It also highlights the importance of monitoring the prevalence of COVID-19 in a population to be tested and proper validation of the test, to limit the potential for false-negative results. Validation studies to determine the optimal pool size by testing laboratories are recommended as the optimum approach. A safe, simple ‘two-stage pooling’ option has been indicated in this guidance to be used by laboratories until such validation can be achieved.
more
Available in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic
Successful immunization of a critical mass of the African population with one or several safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines.Key objectives1. Accelerate African involvement in the clinical development of a vaccine. 2. Ensur...e African countries can access a sufficient share of the global vaccine supply.3. Remove barriers to widespread delivery and uptake of effective vaccines across Africa.
more
Caregivers provide invaluable service and support to patients in health facilities. In many health systems, caregivers (often members of the patient’s family or friends) are responsible for providing basic care for a patient, including providing food and drinks, cleaning clothes and bed linen, as ...well as supporting basic activities for daily living, such as washing or using the toilet. Small children and infants who are dependent on caregivers for performing essential daily activities require similar assistance while being treated in a health care facility. Such care is also a priority for people approaching the end of life, as patients and relatives increasingly spend time together at this critical stage.
more
These guidelines outline the minimum operational guidance for infection prevention and control (IPC) in ambulances transferring suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. Ambulance staff should be trained in the procedures outlined here as part of their induction and prior to starting work. They are ...to be supported by their operating organization with available personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning materials. These guidelines are subject to adaptation according to the specific operational context. Standard infection control precautions must be used with all patients.
more
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sub-Saharan Africa has only 3% of the world’s health workers to cater for 11% of the world population, bearing over 25% of the global disease burden (WHO, 2014). With a steady increase in reported cases on the African Continent, the current COVID-1...9 pandemic threatens to overwhelm our already taxed health infrastructure. It is, therefore, imperative to take serious and urgent measures towards disease management and monitoring especially as the need for self-quarantine and contact surveillance rises.
In view of the infrastructural and resource gaps, technology should be considered for remote management of healthcare deliver to patients during this period. As it is abundantly clear, even countries with more advanced healthcare infrastructure and resources have struggled to treat COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during this pandemic.
more
This document draws on scientific evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic and from prior public health research on behaviour change, with the purpose of empowering African Union Member States to promote widespread adoption of masks in the general population. This document complements existing Africa CDC... technical guidance on the community use of face masks.
more
2-Day Orientation training Orientation Training, 1 Febr. 2021
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an essential part of the Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing (PACT) Initiative • Africa CDC set up PACT to drive forward the Africa Union Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19
Available in ...English, French and Arabic
more
On the 9 February 2021, Africa CDC convened a special session of the Africa Task Force for COVID-19 to review existing data and evidence and recommend
Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug approved for the treatment of parasitic infections, including strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis in humans. There is a reported increase in the use of ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 by the public in African Union Member States.
Currently..., there is:
1. No scientific evidence from pre-clinical studies on the therapeutic effect of ivermectin for the management of COVID-19;
2. No evidence of its clinical efficacy for the management of patients with asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe COVID-19; and
3. No safety data regarding the use of ivermectin for COVID-19 in the majority of the published studies.
more
Biosafety involves the implementation of containment principles, technologies and practices to prevent unintentional exposure to biological agents. Biosecurity involves the protection, control and accountability of biological materials and information related to these materials and dualuse research,... to prevent their unauthorized access, loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release.
more
Infection prevention and control (IPC) in a CTC/ CTU IPC are all practical measures taken in the healthcare facility to prevent harm caused by infections to patients, health workers and communities.
The main goal of IPC in the cholera response is to
• To reduce transmission of health care-as...sociated infections of cholera and any other infectious disease
• To enhance the safety of staff, patients and visitors
• To enhance the ability of the organization/health care facility to respond to an outbreak
• To reduce the risk of the hospital (health care facility) itself amplifying the outbreak
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
WASH are all measures taken to guarantee environmental hygiene, safe water of all used within the health facility. It encompasses water, sanitation, waste management, cleaning within the health facility which in this case is CTU/C. A complete WASH package in the CTU/CTC reduces the risk of spread of Vibrio cholerae inside and outside the CTC/CTU.
The probability of spreading or acquiring cholera through a CTC/CTU can be highly reduced when proper IPC and WASH measures are respected, followed and monitored. These measures are, in principle, valid in CTC/CTUs and ORPs, although they need to be adapted to the specific characteristics of the facility concerned.
more