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. 2025 Jul 30;17(1):e1-e8.
doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v17i1.4944.

Access to tuberculosis care in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

Kayla Appel  1 , Faeez Nackerdien, Carmen S Christian
Affiliations

Access to tuberculosis care in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

Kayla Appel et al. Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. .

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue in South Africa, a high-burden TB country. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated challenges in accessing essential TB services. This scoping review explores how access to TB care was impacted during the pandemic.

Aim: This research aimed to review original studies on access to TB care in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic using a scoping review methodology.

Method: A scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Five databases were systematically searched for original peer-reviewed research published between 2020 and 2022. Data were extracted and synthesised using the Penchansky and Thomas framework of healthcare access.

Results: Three studies met the inclusion criteria. The review identified significant disruptions in TB service delivery during the pandemic, including reduced diagnostic capacity, healthcare facility closures and economic barriers. Patients reported delayed diagnoses and increased stigma, while healthcare workers faced resource shortages and operational challenges.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing barriers to TB care in South Africa, highlighting critical gaps in healthcare delivery. This review provides insights into the challenges faced and emphasises the need for resilient health systems to sustain TB care during future health crises. Contribution: This article highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB care access in South Africa, identifying key barriers across healthcare access dimensions and offering recommendations to improve TB care delivery during public health emergencies.

Keywords: COVID-19; Penchansky and Thomas framework; South Africa; demand-side issues; healthcare access; pandemic; supply-side issues.; tuberculosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors reported that they received funding from the University of the Western Cape, the National Research Foundation of South Africa and the South African Medical Research Council under a Self-Initiated Research Grant, which may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed publication. The authors have disclosed those interests fully and have implemented an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts arising from their involvement. The terms of these funding arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the affiliated university following its policy on objectivity in research.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
PRISMA flow diagram for selection of studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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