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COVID-19 sample management: experiences of Harare City, 2021
Emmaculate Govore1, Talent Bvochora1, Hilda Bara1
1Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital, Harare City, Department of Health, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Insights
Poor COVID-19 sample management, including delayed result reporting and inadequate training, significantly impacts patient care in Harare. Enhancing training and resources is crucial for improving sample turnaround times and effective pandemic control.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- Effective COVID-19 sample management is critical for pandemic control.
- A high school outbreak in Harare revealed significant delays in reporting COVID-19 test results (62.2% >24 hours).
- These delays hinder timely patient management and disease containment efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the existing COVID-19 sample management system in Harare City.
- To identify challenges affecting sample processing and result reporting.
- To provide recommendations for improving the sample management system.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Harare City.
- Purposive sampling of healthcare workers involved in COVID-19 sample management.
- Data collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed using Epi Info version 7.
Main Results:
- Only 23% of interviewed healthcare workers demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19 sample management.
- A substantial proportion of samples (34.6%) were misdirected to the wrong laboratory.
- Low receipt rate of results (34.0%) for misdirected samples indicates systemic failures.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 sample management in Harare is compromised by poor healthcare worker knowledge and resource limitations (transportation, communication).
- Inadequate training and insufficient resources directly impede efficient sample processing and timely result delivery.
- Implementing comprehensive training programs and allocating adequate resources are essential to improve turnaround times and enhance patient management.
Abstract:
COVID-19 sample management is pivotal in controlling the pandemic. Results of 28/45 (62.2%) cases identified at a high school COVID-19 outbreak in Harare's Northern district were not reported within the recommended 24 hours of notification. This leads to delayed patient management. We evaluated the sample management system for COVID-19 in Harare City. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Harare City. Health care workers involved in COVID-19 sample management at a high school outbreak in the Northern district namely clinicians, laboratory, environmental and administrative personnel were purposively sampled. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using Epi info version 7. Medians and proportions were generated. A 3-point Likert Scale was used to measure knowledge levels of health care workers on COVID-19 sample management. Thirty health care workers were interviewed and females were 20/30 (66%). Participants had not been trained in sample management. Overall knowledge level was good for 7/30 (23%) of the participants. Of the samples collected, 156/451 (34.6%) were wrongly sent to the national microbiology laboratory and 53/156 (34.0%) of the results were received. Sample management of COVID-19 samples in Harare City was found to affect patient management because of poor knowledge of healthcare workers, lack of transportation and communication means. The need for training cadres involved in the management process and availing adequate resources can improve turnaround time of results hence patient management.
