Mavume-Mangunyane E, Issufo S, Ndima S, Valverde E, Peregrino R R, Tasca B, Penicela C, Andrade I, Botão C, Malate P G, Powers R, Tsope L, Chimoyi L, Mulder C, Spruijt I, Keller S
Fundação Aurum, Maputo, Mozambique.
Faculty of Medicine, University Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique.
Public Health Action. 2025 Jun 4;15(2):52-57. doi: 10.5588/pha.24.0049. eCollection 2025 Jun.
To inform future decision-making on pandemic preparedness for COVID-19, we evaluated the acceptability and perceived feasibility of implementation strategies for COVID-19 self-testing among decision-makers in Mozambique. National and provincial directors, heads of programs and division chiefs were selected as decision-makers.
We conducted semi-structured interviews with decision-makers involved in COVID-19 diagnosis, management, and policy development. Topics included knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19, testing policies, implementation considerations, and linkage to care. Using a thematic approach, we analysed the interviews.
Seventeen decision-makers were interviewed - most perceived self-testing as an acceptable strategy for early COVID-19 detection. The benefits were improved access to testing, decongesting health facilities, minimising infection risk and decreasing healthcare workers' workload. Concerns included low testing interest in the post-pandemic period, literacy barriers, affordability and equity issues, mistrust that patients might not take the test due to fear of positive results, and the healthcare system's capacity to follow up positive cases.
COVID-19 self-testing is feasible and acceptable to decision-makers; however, the changing epidemiology has shifted perspectives. This study highlights self-testing's value in emergencies and pandemic preparedness, enabling rapid detection and isolation of cases, thus minimising the spread of infectious diseases in vulnerable populations in Mozambique and similar contexts.
为了为未来关于新冠疫情防范的决策提供信息，我们评估了莫桑比克决策者中新冠病毒自我检测实施策略的可接受性和感知可行性。国家和省级主管、项目负责人及部门主管被选为决策者。
我们对参与新冠病毒诊断、管理和政策制定的决策者进行了半结构化访谈。主题包括对新冠病毒的了解和看法、检测政策、实施考虑因素以及与护理的联系。我们采用主题分析法对访谈进行了分析。
对17名决策者进行了访谈，大多数人认为自我检测是早期发现新冠病毒的可接受策略。其好处包括增加检测机会、减轻卫生设施负担、降低感染风险以及减轻医护人员工作量。担忧包括疫情后检测兴趣降低、识字障碍、可负担性和公平性问题、担心患者因害怕检测结果呈阳性而不愿接受检测，以及医疗系统跟进阳性病例的能力。
新冠病毒自我检测对决策者来说是可行且可接受的；然而，不断变化的流行病学情况改变了人们的看法。本研究强调了自我检测在紧急情况和疫情防范中的价值，能够快速发现和隔离病例，从而最大限度地减少莫桑比克及类似环境中弱势群体中传染病的传播。
