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. 2021 Jan 27;72(2):327-331.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa695.

From Easing Lockdowns to Scaling Up Community-based Coronavirus Disease 2019 Screening, Testing, and Contact Tracing in Africa-Shared Approaches, Innovations, and Challenges to Minimize Morbidity and Mortality

Jean B Nachega  1   2   3 , Ashraf Grimwood  4 , Hassan Mahomed  5 , Geoffrey Fatti  4   6 , Wolfgang Preiser  7 , Oscar Kallay  8 , Placide K Mbala  9 , Jean-Jacques T Muyembe  9 , Edson Rwagasore  10 , Sabin Nsanzimana  10 , Daniel Ngamije  11 , Jeanine Condo  12   13 , Mohsin Sidat  14 , Emilia V Noormahomed  14   15   16 , Michael Reid  17 , Beatrice Lukeni  18 , Fatima Suleman  19 , Alfred Mteta  20 , Alimuddin Zumla  21   22
Affiliations

From Easing Lockdowns to Scaling Up Community-based Coronavirus Disease 2019 Screening, Testing, and Contact Tracing in Africa-Shared Approaches, Innovations, and Challenges to Minimize Morbidity and Mortality

Jean B Nachega et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

The arrival of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the African continent resulted in a range of lockdown measures that curtailed the spread of the infection but caused economic hardship. African countries now face difficult choices regarding easing of lockdowns and sustaining effective public health control measures and surveillance. Pandemic control will require efficient community screening, testing, and contact tracing; behavioral change interventions; adequate resources; and well-supported, community-based teams of trained, protected personnel. We discuss COVID-19 control approaches in selected African countries and the need for shared, affordable, innovative methods to overcome challenges and minimize mortality. This crisis presents a unique opportunity to align COVID-19 services with those already in place for human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, malaria, and non communicable diseases through mobilization of Africa's interprofessional healthcare workforce. By addressing the challenges, the detrimental effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on African citizens can be minimized.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; contact trace; screening testing.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Coronavirus disease 2019 community screening by subdistrict in Cape Town, South Africa, 4 April 2020 to 22 May 2020.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Coronavirus disease 2019 daily case numbers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 15 March 2020 to 2 April 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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