Assessment of Preparedness and Response Plan to the Risk of Covid-19 Pandemic in Hospitals and Community Pharmacies in Benue State

Abstract

Background: Following the spread of COVID-19 cases in many countries across continents, COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. Health workers (both in hospitals and pharmacies) are at increased risk of acquiring the disease. Studies in Italy showed that a lot of health care workers continue to experience high morbidity and mortality. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are always on the frontline, whether it is an elective treatment, a medical emergency, or dealing with a pandemic like COVID-19. This places HCWs at the greatest risk of getting exposed to infection. Pharmacies and Hospitals have been practicing innovative infection control measures during COVID-19 pandemic. With the absence of a definitive pharmaceutical treatment, infection prevention and control measures which hinges on preparedness and response plans are imperative.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to conduct an assessment of preparedness and response plan to risk of COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals and community pharmacies in Benue State.

Methods: The study was a cross sectional survey of the hospitals and community pharmacies in Benue State. The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi and the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) and all the general hospitals were conveniently used. Registered pharmacies across the three senatorial zones were included in the study. The world health organization (WHO) rapid hospital readiness checklist for COVID-19 was used for hospitals. The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) risk assessment tool for Community Pharmacies was employed for the community pharmacies. Data was collected across the 3 senatorial zones of the state. Data was coded and analyzed using IBM statistical product and service solutions (SPSS). Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis.  P-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant.

Results: Twenty-five (25) Hospitals and seventy-eight (78) Community Pharmacies were used. The study revealed that 60% of the tertiary hospitals were located in urban settlements and pharmacies were densely located in urban areas (98.7%). There was good Preparedness by Hospitals (Mean=59.667 ± 20.224%) and Community Pharmacies (Mean=53.766±7.824%) in managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Benue State. The assessments showed that response plan for Hospitals were fully and partially functional in most areas (Mean=72.500±25.259%). Similarly, Community

Pharmacies have response plan in some areas and none in other areas to the risk of COVID-19 pandemic in Benue State (Mean=52.308%±10.620%). Hospitals and Community Pharmacies characteristics have a strong and positive relationship on their preparedness to COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.020). The relationship between Hospitals and Community Pharmacies characteristics and their response plan to the risk of Covid-19 pandemic showed a strong relationship (r=0.407, p=<0.0001).

Conclusion: Hospitals in Benue state had moderate preparedness plan and high response plan to the risk of COVID-19 pandemic. Community Pharmacies had moderate preparedness and moderate response plan to the risk of COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals preparedness was strongly associated to their response plan. Community Pharmacy characteristics was strongly associated to their preparedness plan.