The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published an indicative survey on the impact of Covid-19 on health systems based on 105 countries’ reports.
WHO said that the data collected from five regions between March and June 2020 illustrated that almost every country (90 percent) experienced disruption to its health services, with low- and middle-income countries reporting the greatest difficulties.
Most countries, Development Diaries gathered, reported that many routine and elective services were suspended, while critical care, such as cancer screening and treatment and HIV therapy, was seen as high-risk interruptions in low-income countries.
‘The survey shines a light on the cracks in our health systems, but it also serves to inform new strategies to improve healthcare provision during the pandemic and beyond’, the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.
‘Covid-19 should be a lesson to all countries that health is not an ‘either-or’ equation.
‘We must better prepare for emergencies but also keep investing in health systems that fully respond to people’s needs throughout the life course’.
The report provided an indication of countries’ experiences in adapting strategies to mitigate the impact on service provision.
Despite the limitations of the research, it highlighted the need to improve real-time monitoring of changes in service delivery and utilisation as the outbreak was likely to wax and wane over the next months, and to adapt solutions accordingly.
WHO noted that they will continue to work with countries and to provide supportive tools to address the fallout from Covid-19.
Given countries’ urgent demand for assistance during the pandemic response, WHO is developing the Covid19: Health Services Learning Hub, a web-based platform that will allow the sharing of experiences and learning from innovative country practices that can inform the collective global response.
WHO is also devising additional surveys at the sub-national level and in health facilities to gauge the longer-term impact of disruptions and help countries weigh the benefits and risks of pursuing different mitigation strategies.
The survey, ‘Rapid assessment of continuity of essential health services during the Covid-19 pandemic’, was conducted in 159 countries (all WHO regions except the Americas).
According to the WHO, 105 responses were received (66 percent response rate) from senior ministry of health officials.
Source: World Health Organisation
Photo source: WHO/Pierre Virot
