Volume 28, Supplement—December 2022
SUPPLEMENT ISSUE
Surveillance
Using Population Mobility Patterns to Adapt COVID-19 Response Strategies in 3 East Africa Countries
Rebecca D. Merrill
, Fadhili Kilamile, Mwabi White, Daniel Eurien, Kanan Mehta, Joseph Ojwang, Marianne Laurent-Comlan, Peter Ahabwe Babigumira, Lydia Nakiire, Alexandra Boos, Wangeci Gatei, Julie R. Harris, Alain Magazani, Felix Ocom, Robert Ssekubugu, Godfrey Kigozi, Florent Senyana, Francis B. Iyese, Peter James Elyanu, Sarah Ward, Issa Makumbi, Allan Muruta, Elvira McIntyre, Khalid Massa, Alex R. Ario, Harriet Mayinja, Kakulu Remidius, and Dede N. Ndungi
, Fadhili Kilamile, Mwabi White, Daniel Eurien, Kanan Mehta, Joseph Ojwang, Marianne Laurent-Comlan, Peter Ahabwe Babigumira, Lydia Nakiire, Alexandra Boos, Wangeci Gatei, Julie R. Harris, Alain Magazani, Felix Ocom, Robert Ssekubugu, Godfrey Kigozi, Florent Senyana, Francis B. Iyese, Peter James Elyanu, Sarah Ward, Issa Makumbi, Allan Muruta, Elvira McIntyre, Khalid Massa, Alex R. Ario, Harriet Mayinja, Kakulu Remidius, and Dede N. Ndungi
Table 1
Characteristics of FGDs and KIIs implemented in 3 countries for COVID-19 response, May 2020–March 2022*
| Country | No. FGD | No. KII | Participants’ job responsibilities or expertise | Geographic scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRC |
6 |
0 |
Each FGD event included representation from the various services operating at the points of entry (POE): General Directorate of Migration, General Directorate of Customs and Excise, Border Police, National Border Hygiene Program (PNHF), National Intelligence Agency, naval force, lake police station, traders, truck drivers |
All FGDs were implemented at POE; discussions focused on population movement through and around the POE |
| Cross-border DRC and Angola |
1 |
0 |
Minister of Health of DRC, the International Health Regulations National Focal Point of each country, Director of epidemiologic surveillance in Angola, and the agents of the services operating at the borders of the two countries. |
National-level FGD; discussion focused on cross-border population movement along the entire shared border |
| Cross-border DRC and Republic of Congo |
1 |
0 |
The International Health Regulations National Focal Point of each country and the agents of the services operating at the border of the two countries |
National-level FGD; discussion focused on cross-border population movement along the entire shared border with a focus on movement between the capitals of both countries |
| Tanzania |
24 |
0 |
Each FGD event included an occupational group: Boda boda (motorcycle or bicycle) drivers (4), business persons (2), business women specifically (1), community leaders (2), dhow (wooden boat) operators (1), fishermen (2), healthcare providers (2), pastoralists (4), pastoralists and cattle traders (1), peasants (1), petty traders (1), salt producers (1), security officers (1), tour guides (1) |
All FGDs were implemented at the subdistrict or ward level; Discussions focused on population movement into, through, and out of the administrative level 2 unit where the PopCAB event was being held |
| Uganda |
34 |
Each event included an occupational group of representatives: Boda boda drivers (1), businesspersons (2), community outreach workers (1), community leaders (3), community persons (5), cultural leaders (2), customs officials (2), district leaders (2), health care workers (2), POE volunteers (2), security officers (2), sex workers (1), traders (2), traditional healers (2), transporters (2), truck drivers (2), village health volunteers (1) |
FGDs and KIIs were implemented at district, village, or POE levels; discussions focused on population movement into, through, out of, and around the administrative area or local jurisdiction the person(s) represented |
|
| 26 |
Key informants were (persons with the same title represented different jurisdictions) border internal security officer for different border points (3), district internal security officer (2), deputy district internal security officer (1), district health educator (1), district health officer (1), District Police Commander (3), district surveillance focal person (1), herbalist (1), in-charge of immigration (1), liaison officer (1), local council (2), local council of defense (1), division commander (1), resident district commissioner (4), POE team lead for volunteer health screening (1), traditional healer (1) |
|||
| Cross-border DRC and Tanzania |
1 |
0 |
International Health Regulations national focal points of the 2 countries, MOH representatives for border health and surveillance at national and regional or provincial levels of the 2 countries |
National-level FGD; discussion focused on cross-border population movement along the entire shared border |
| Cross-border DRC and Uganda | 1 | 0 | Port Health or border health director of each country, IHR national focal point of DRC, representative of the minister of health for DRC, MOH representatives for border health and surveillance at national and district levels of the 2 countries, director and deputy director of Uganda’s National Public Health Institute, public health partners | National-level FGD; discussion focused on cross-border population movement along the entire shared border |
*DRC, Democratic Republic of the Congo; FGD, focus group discussion; KII, key informant interview; POE, point of entry; PopCAB, Population Connectivity Across Borders.
References
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