Volume 28, Supplement—December 2022
SUPPLEMENT ISSUE
Workforce
Use of Project ECHO in Response to COVID-19 in Countries Supported by US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
Janell Wright
, Laura Tison, Helen Chun, Cristine Gutierrez, Mariangeli Freitas Ning, Rosa Elena Morales, Beatriz Lopez, James Simpungwe, Kenneth Masamaro, Nazira Usmanova, Gram Mutandi, Sudhir Bunga, and Simon Agolory
, Laura Tison, Helen Chun, Cristine Gutierrez, Mariangeli Freitas Ning, Rosa Elena Morales, Beatriz Lopez, James Simpungwe, Kenneth Masamaro, Nazira Usmanova, Gram Mutandi, Sudhir Bunga, and Simon Agolory
Table 3
Topics, gaps and participant concerns and questions in COVID-19 Project ECHO sessions conducted in countries supported by US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, 2020–2021*
| Topics covered | Gaps identified by participants | Examples of main concerns and common questions |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 case management |
1) Principles of oxygen escalation/de-escalation; 2) innovative therapies for mild/moderate cases |
1) What parameters are used in the decision to use supportive oxygen?; 2) mild/moderate COVID-19 case management; 3) how long does immunity to COVID-19 last? |
| Co-infection and comorbidities |
1) Warning signs and management of cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19; 2) management of patients with hypertension and COVID-19; 3) COVID-19 management in patients with comorbidities |
1) How to standardize treatment for patients; 2) the role of steroid management in COVID-19 management |
| Infection prevention and control, PPE |
1) PPE principles and use/reuse scenarios; 2) infection prevention and control in the context of community service delivery; 3) SARS-CoV-2 modes of transmission |
1) Principles of donning and doffing PPE for frontline HCWs and standards for reuse in resource-limited settings; 2) mask use according to clinical service delivery points; 3) community behavior change strategies in infection prevention |
| Vaccines/immunization |
1) Vaccine development processes and mechanisms of action; 2) COVID-19 vaccine demand creation strategies |
1) Vaccination guidance for pregnant patients, other vulnerable populations, and persons previously infected with COVID-19; 2) management and reporting of vaccine-related adverse events during vaccination campaigns |
| Mental health |
1) Specialists available and equipped to address HCW needs; 2) strategies to address mental health issues and build resilience among front-line HCW |
1) Addressing mental health needs of HCWs during the pandemic; 2) HCW support systems and lack thereof; 3) insufficient expertise in diagnosing Mental Health issues leading to a growing number of undiagnosed health issues |
| Surveillance |
1) SARS-CoV-2 surveillance methods and best practices; 2) acute febrile disease surveillance in a COVID-19 pandemic |
1) Role of community health workers for COVID-19 disease surveillance; 2) harnessing digital technologies to improve Health Information systems |
| Laboratory | 1) Role of public health laboratories in the pandemic response; 2) SARS-CoV-2 detection kit evaluation and validation; 3) SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing expansion and decentralization | 1) Diagnostic test result (molecular and antigen) interpretation; 2) COVID-19 test positivity and duration of infectivity?; 3) serologic tests’ utility in the diagnosis of acute COVID-19 |
*ECHO, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes; HCW, healthcare worker; PPE, personal protective equipment.
Page created: October 15, 2022
Page updated: December 11, 2022
Page reviewed: December 11, 2022
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