Open AccessAvailability of PPEs and training status of health professionals on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Author(s) -
Mohammed Muze,
Bahredin Abdella,
Abdilmejid Mustefa,
Abas Ali,
Abdulfeta Abdo,
Abas Lukman,
Abdulfeta Shafi,
Shukure Uomer,
Yesufe Badege,
Abdulmejid Mutteba,
Bayesa Tolasa,
Sister Hossae,
Sultan Shukur,
Ebrahim Ahmed,
Abdu Kemal,
Tadela Erena
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the pan african medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.287
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 1937-8688
DOI - 10.11604/pamj.2021.39.38.27648
Subject(s) - personal protective equipment , preparedness , medicine , pandemic , health care , covid-19 , health professionals , nursing , public health , environmental health , family medicine , medical emergency , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
recent infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19 highlights the importance of personal protective equipments and competent professionals on public health preparedness and response in health care systems. Hence, understanding availability of personal protective equipments and training status of health professionals is very important to fill the gap of COVID-19 preparedness and response. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess availability and adequacy of personal protective equipments and health professional's training status on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods cross sectional study was conducted from August to October 2020 in Silte Zone. First four weredas from 13 were selected randomly. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 351 health professionals from 13 health facilities of selected weredas. Results overall, only 36.1% of the health professionals have received adequate training on COVID-19. About 30% of the health professionals had taken training on emergency plan of COVID-19, about 33% had been taught on COVID-19 treatment procedures. Majority 80.9% of the respondents indicated that personal protective equipments are inadequately available. Face masks, hand sanitizers and eye goggles were most scarce PPEs. Conclusion health professionals have been at the frontlines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, challenges remain, such as limited availability of personal protection equipments and inadequate training of healthcare professions was identified by this study. Strengthening of training on COVID-19 and making PPEs adequately available were recommended.