Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul, South Korea.
Institute of Health Partners, Thimphu, Bhutan.
Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 12;10:908410. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.908410. eCollection 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis and has reaffirmed that extensive testing along with effective tracing is still crucial to slowing transmission of the COVID-19 virus despite the rolling out of vaccines. This study explored enablers and barriers to COVID-19 testing in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. We envision lessons learned from this study could serve as a road map to strengthen the current response to COVID-19 and preparedness for future outbreaks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
A qualitative design was undertaken to explore the phenomenon. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews with key informants with a purposively selected sample of 20 participants. Interviews were conducted using flexible semi-structured interview guides. Depending on the participant's position and involvement in COVID-19 testing, the guides were modified, and key elements were drawn from a tailored version of the WHO Health System Framework, incorporating the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF). The interview findings were augmented by reviewing published literature.
Better health governance through political leadership, community participation, multisectoral collaboration, effective resource management, and information systems played a crucial role in catalyzing COVID-19 testing. The primary barriers to testing were mainly COVID-19 infodemic, inadequacy of material resources to meet growing health needs, and a lack of opportunities to have equal and easy access to testing services. Furthermore, although human resources were adequate, they were unevenly distributed across settings.
Despite rolling out vaccines against COVID-19, testing remains an important measure to control the virus. To effectively be prepared for extensive COVID-19 testing and respond to future outbreaks, the following are recommended: there should be improved political commitments, coordination, and communication with diverse actors to ensure even distribution of all resources across the country; empowerment of community members should be encouraged to develop community-oriented pandemic preparedness and management of COVID-19 infodemic; investment in strengthening capacity of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP); incorporation of health policy and systems research (HPSR) into the post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery process and future pandemic preparedness.
COVID-19 大流行是一场全球性危机，它再次证实，尽管疫苗已经推出，但广泛的检测以及有效的追踪仍然是减缓 COVID-19 病毒传播的关键。本研究探讨了加纳大阿克拉地区 COVID-19 检测的促成因素和障碍。我们设想，从这项研究中吸取的经验教训可以为加强当前对 COVID-19 的应对措施以及为未来的疫情做好准备提供路线图，特别是在中低收入国家。
采用定性设计来探讨这一现象。数据收集方法包括对 20 名精心挑选的关键信息员进行深入访谈。访谈采用灵活的半结构化访谈指南进行。根据参与者的职位和参与 COVID-19 检测的情况，对指南进行了修改，并从世界卫生组织卫生系统框架（纳入基本公共卫生职能）的定制版本中提取关键要素。访谈结果还通过审查已发表的文献得到了补充。
通过政治领导、社区参与、多部门合作、有效的资源管理和信息系统改善卫生治理，在促进 COVID-19 检测方面发挥了关键作用。检测的主要障碍主要是 COVID-19 信息泛滥、满足不断增长的卫生需求的物质资源不足以及缺乏平等和方便获得检测服务的机会。此外，尽管人力资源充足，但它们在各地区的分布不均。
尽管已经推出了 COVID-19 疫苗，但检测仍然是控制病毒的重要措施。为了有效做好广泛的 COVID-19 检测和应对未来的疫情，建议：应改善政治承诺，与不同行为者进行协调和沟通，确保全国资源的公平分配；应鼓励增强社区成员的权能，以制定以社区为导向的大流行病防备和 COVID-19 信息管理；应投资加强良好生产规范的能力；应将卫生政策和系统研究纳入 COVID-19 大流行后恢复进程和未来的大流行病防备。
