Effects of COVID-19 on paediatric cardiac centres in low-income and middle-income countries: a mixed-methods study.
Campbell DopkeJean ConnorBistra ZhelevaKimberlee GauvreauBojana BakalchevaNajeebullah BinaGonzalo CalvimontesIvana CerovicNaizihijwa MajaniMichael OketchoDimitar PechilkovFenny ShidhikaTengiz ShiryaevKathy JenkinsPublished in: BMJ open (2022)
Our study identified and quantified a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on critical access to CHD surgery in low-income and middle-income countries, as well as a significant adverse impact on both the skilled workforce needed to treat CHD and on the institutions in which care is delivered. These findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major threat to access to care for children with CHD in resource-constrained environments and that this effect may be long-lasting beyond the global emergency. Efforts are needed to preserve vulnerable CHD programmes even during unprecedented pandemic situations.
Keyphrases
- coronavirus disease
- healthcare
- sars cov
- quality improvement
- public health
- palliative care
- emergency department
- physical activity
- minimally invasive
- mental health
- intensive care unit
- young adults
- left ventricular
- pain management
- affordable care act
- heart failure
- acute coronary syndrome
- adverse drug
- percutaneous coronary intervention
- acute care