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The World Health Organisation (WHO) published a survey report on Monday on the impact of Covid-19 on health systems, which said almost 90 per cent countries have experienced disruption to its health services amidst the pandemic.
Data for the survey was collected from five regions over the period March to June 2020.
WHO’s official release said the disruption was more pronounced in low- and middle-income countries, as they reported the greatest difficulties.
Most countries reported that many routine and elective services have been suspended, while critical care services such as cancer screening and treatment and HIV therapy, have seen high-risk interruptions in low-income countries, the survey revealed.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said in a statement: “The survey shines a light on the cracks in our health systems, but it also serves to inform new strategies to improve healthcare provision during the pandemic and beyond.”
“Covid-19 should be a lesson to all countries that health is not an ‘either-or’ equation. We must better prepare for emergencies but also keep investing in health systems that fully respond to people’s needs throughout the life course,” he added.
The survey also mentioned that services have been hit across the board. The most frequently disrupted areas reported included routine immunisation — outreach services (70 per cent) and facility-based services (61 per cent), non-communicable diseases diagnosis and treatment (69 per cent), family planning and contraception (68 per cent), treatment for mental health disorders (61 per cent), cancer diagnosis and treatment (55 per cent).
Countries also reported disruptions in malaria diagnosis and treatment (46 per cent), tuberculosis case detection and treatment (42 per cent), and antiretroviral treatment (32 per cent).
Potentially life-saving emergency services were disrupted in almost a quarter of the responding countries. Disruptions to 24-hour emergency room services, for example, were affected in 22 per cent of the countries, urgent blood transfusions were disrupted in 23 per cent countries, and emergency surgery was hit in 19 per cent of the countries, the survey revealed.
The survey titled ‘Rapid assessment of continuity of essential health services during the Covid-19 pandemic’ was conducted in 159 countries (all WHO regions except the Americas). It received 105 responses (66 per cent response rate) from the senior ministry of health officials covering the period March to June 2020.
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