The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe public health crisis not seen in nearly a century. As of June 19, 2021, over 177 million confirmed infections and 3.8 million deaths were reported globally while Ethiopia documented nearly 275 thousand cases and 4,300 deaths . Recognizing that Ethiopia is still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ethiopian Medical Association conducted its 57th annual conference on April 22-23, 2021 with a theme “Ethiopia’s Healthcare System Readiness for the COVID-19 Response”. Panel discussions were held on clinical case management of COVID-19, maintaining essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health interventions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several scientific papers related to COVID-19 were also presented.
Concerned with the continued high community transmission, noting the need to reduce mortality through improved case management, acknowledging the challenge faced in maintaining essential health services, recognizing the need to improve compliance with public health measures and understanding the importance of building a resilient health care system for future pandemics, we call upon the Government and other stakeholders to urgently take the following actions:
• Organize periodic update training to health workers, as knowledge about COVID-19 is rapidly changing.
• Use hospitals that have advanced experience in managing severe and critical COVID-19 patients for practical training of health workers on clinical case management.
• Encourage the conduct and dissemination of high quality collaborative researches on COVID-19 case management and prevention.
• Address public complaints about the high cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals.
• Re-design the service delivery approach for essential health services based on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, door to door services by health extension workers (HEWs).
• Prepare a legal framework for and increase availability of telemedicine and digital health innovations for chronic illness follow-up, counselling, health education, consultation and teaching.
• Integrate COVID-19 service into existing healthcare services.
• Strengthen the supply chain management system to assure continuous availability of essential drugs, supplies and equipment in health facilities.
• Strengthen weekly and monthly monitoring of key essential health service indicators
• Develop a protocol for providing essential surgical services for COVID and non-COVID patients.
• Minimize disruptions in access to essential and life-saving child healthcare services such as immunization.
• Strengthen multi-sectoral coordination at all levels to ensure systematic, context-specific and effective pandemic response.
• Protect health workers through providing the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhancing infection prevention and control practice in health facilities.
• Intensify risk communication and media engagement using tailored and culturally appropriate messages to increase adherence to preventive measures (wearing face mask, physical distancing and hand hygiene).
• Ensure the quality, appropriateness and affordability of COVID-19 tests.
• Strengthen human resource capacity for the pandemic response through proper streamlining of activities and task shifting as necessary.
• Strengthen bond with professional associations and academia to ensure the latest science and best practices are integrated in the pandemic response.
• Increase health care financing.
- Organize periodic update training to health workers, as knowledge about COVID-19 is rapidly changing.
- Use hospitals that have advanced experience in managing severe and critical COVID-19 patients for practical training of health workers on clinical case management.
- Encourage the conduct and dissemination of high quality collaborative researches on COVID-19 case management and prevention.
- Address public complaints about the high cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals.
- Re-design the service delivery approach for essential health services based on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, door to door services by health extension workers (HEWs).
- Prepare a legal framework for and increase availability of telemedicine and digital health innovations for chronic illness follow-up, counselling, health education, consultation and teaching.
- Integrate COVID-19 service into existing healthcare services.
- Strengthen the supply chain management system to assure continuous availability of essential drugs, supplies and equipment in health facilities.
- Strengthen weekly and monthly monitoring of key essential health service indicators
- Develop a protocol for providing essential surgical services for COVID and non-COVID patients.
- Minimize disruptions in access to essential and life-saving child healthcare services such as immunization.
- Strengthen multi-sectoral coordination at all levels to ensure systematic, context-specific and effective pandemic response.
- Protect health workers through providing the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhancing infection prevention and control practice in health facilities.
- Intensify risk communication and media engagement using tailored and culturally appropriate messages to increase adherence to preventive measures (wearing face mask, physical distancing and hand hygiene).
- Ensure the quality, appropriateness and affordability of COVID-19 tests.
- Strengthen human resource capacity for the pandemic response through proper streamlining of activities and task shifting as necessary.
- Strengthen bond with professional associations and academia to ensure the latest science and best practices are integrated in the pandemic response.