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Impact of COVID-19 on non-communicable disease management services at selected government health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia


Abiyu Mekonnen
Zelalem Destaw
Dejene Derseh
Eshetu Gadissa
Solomon Ali

Abstract

Background: The global pandemic of COVID-19 forced the world to divert resources and asked the public to shelter-in-place, so the diagnosis surveillance system and management of non-communicable diseases has become more challenging.


Objective: To identify the impact of COVID-19 on non-communicable diseases management services at government health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


Methods: Health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September, 2020. A total of 30 health centers were included in this study. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to assess association between the outcome and independent variables


Results: The majority, 24 (80%), of the study participants perceived that the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the non-communicable disease management services. There was a statistically significant association between a decrease in outpatient volume at non communicable disease (NCD) management services (25 (83.3%), P-value: 0.006), closure of population level screening programs of NCDs (22 (73.3%), P-value: 0.007), and closure of disease specific NCD clinics and the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic (23 (76.7%), P-value: 0.013).


Conclusion: The most critical health-care services for non-communicable diseases management were severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, during public health emergencies, policymakers should ensure continuation of critical clinical services and inform the public about proper service utilization.


Keywords: COVID-19; non-communicable diseases; Ethiopia.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1729-0503
print ISSN: 1680-6905