Open AccessPerformance of Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committees to Disease Outbreaks in Arua District, West Nile Region
Author(s) -
Robert Afayo,
Muzamil Buga,
John Bosco Alege,
Pardon Akugizibwe,
Christine Atuhairwe,
Ivan Mugisha Taremwa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of environmental and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.869
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1687-9813
pISSN - 1687-9805
DOI - 10.1155/2019/1437920
Subject(s) - preparedness , algorithm , outbreak , medicine , computer science , law , virology , political science
The Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committees (EPPRCs) are at the heart of preventing outbreaks from becoming epidemics by controlling the spread. Evidence-based information regarding factors associated with the performance of EPPRCs in preparedness and response to disease outbreaks is needed in order to improve their performance. A cross-sectional study involving 103 EPPRC members was carried out in Arua district, West Nile region, between the months of July and December 2014. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the chi-square test was used to establish associations. Forty-eight percentage of EPPRC members showed a moderate level of preparedness, and only 39.8% of them had a moderate level of response. The performance drivers of preparedness and response were dependent on presence of a budget ( χ 2 = 10.281, p =0.002), availability of funds ( χ 2 = 5.508, p =0.019), adequacy of funds, ( χ 2 = 11.211, p =0.008), support given by health development partners ( χ 2 = 19.497, p =0.001), and motivation ( χ 2 = 20.065, p < 0.001). Further, membership duration ( χ 2 = 13.776, p =0.001) and respondent cadre ( χ 2 = 12.538, p =0.005) had a significant association. Based on these findings, there is a big gap in the preparedness and response ability, all of which are dependent on the financial gap to the Committees. To this, funding for preparedness and response is a critical aspect to respond and contain an outbreak.