Kakunze Adelard, Moser Fabian, Ingabire Betty K, Mamba Dumsani N, Sarganas Giselle, Renggli Eva P, Zobi Michael, Fehr Angela, Abdulaziz Mohammed
Division of Disease Control and Prevention, Unit of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
J Public Health Afr. 2025 May 22;16(1):861. doi: 10.4102/jphia.v16i1.861. eCollection 2025.
During health emergencies, continuity of care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health (MH), informed by robust surveillance, is required. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that many countries were ill-prepared in this respect.
This study assesses the effect of COVID-19 on the continuity of care and surveillance of NCDs and MH in 10 African Union (AU) member states (MS) from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study was conducted in 10 AU MS, with two MS from each AU region.
An online cross-sectional survey was developed. Member states were selected using stratified random sampling, and individual participants were selected from the ministries of health as national NCD and MH focal persons. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.
All 10 MS responded. In two-thirds and half of participating MS, routine surveillance for NCDs and MH took place, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, where data were available, several MS observed increases in NCD and MH risk factors and NCD mortality and MH morbidity. Half of the MS integrated NCDs and MH into emergency preparedness and response plans and activities.
The MS had varied levels of national NCD and MH surveillance practices. Where data were available, most observed negative effects on NCDs and MH during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the integration of NCDs and MH in emergency preparedness and response planning was limited, some countries responded with innovative measures to ensure continuity of care.
The study provides insights for improving public health surveillance and emergency response systems.
在突发卫生事件期间，需要在强有力监测的指导下，确保非传染性疾病（NCD）和精神卫生（MH）的连续护理。2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行表明，许多国家在这方面准备不足。
本研究评估了自COVID-19大流行开始以来，其对10个非洲联盟（AU）成员国非传染性疾病和精神卫生的连续护理及监测的影响。
该研究在10个AU成员国开展，每个AU区域选取两个成员国。
开展了一项在线横断面调查。成员国采用分层随机抽样选取，个体参与者从各国卫生部中选为国家非传染性疾病和精神卫生联络人。使用描述性统计和主题分析对回复进行分析。
所有10个成员国均作出回复。分别有三分之二和一半的参与国对非传染性疾病和精神卫生进行常规监测。在COVID-19大流行期间，在有数据的情况下，几个成员国观察到非传染性疾病和精神卫生风险因素增加，以及非传染性疾病死亡率和精神卫生发病率上升。一半的成员国将非传染性疾病和精神卫生纳入应急准备和应对计划及活动中。
各成员国的国家非传染性疾病和精神卫生监测做法水平各异。在有数据的情况下，大多数成员国观察到COVID-19大流行期间非传染性疾病和精神卫生受到负面影响。尽管非传染性疾病和精神卫生在应急准备和应对规划中的整合有限，但一些国家采取了创新措施以确保连续护理。
该研究为改进公共卫生监测和应急响应系统提供了见解。
