CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In the history of the globe, there was an infectious sickness that rocked practically all of the countries. Surprisingly, a terrible number of new cases were recorded in China and numerous nations across the world in the first three months after COVID-19 was discovered in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially designated it a global pandemic in March 2020. (WHO 2020). COVID-19 is thought to be spread through respiratory droplets that come into contact with the mouth, nose, conjunctiva, or eyes (UNICEF 2020). As of August 16, 2020, the outbreak had been confirmed in over 21,628,638 individuals worldwide, resulting in more than 769,128 deaths, according to the Worldometer (2020) report, with 99 percent of cases reported in mild condition. More than 213 nations have reported corona virus cases that have been confirmed in laboratories. In Africa, there were 1,113,246 confirmed cases and 25,385 deaths (Worldometre 2020). Despite the fact that the outbreak is a worldwide pandemic, it is crucial to stress that the situation requires more attention in Africa due to the continent’s inadequate healthcare system capability (Worldometre 2020). To slow down the demand for specialized healthcare, such as intensive care unit beds, safeguarding risk groups, protecting healthcare workers, and minimizing the export of cases to other healthcare facilities and the wider community, measures to prevent transmission in healthcare settings are an immediate priority. Businesses that provide medical services, manufacture medical equipment or medications, provide medical insurance, or otherwise enable the provision of healthcare to patients make up the healthcare industry. Health workers, who are mostly personnel whose mission is to preserve and enhance the health of their community, are particularly vulnerable to the Covid -19 sickness. Healthcare workers are still in the forefront of the country’s fight against the pandemic. by delivering life-saving treatment to anybody who may be infected with the virus that causes covid-19. Healthcare workers are at a high risk of contracting the rare disease and becoming infected. According to the Centre for Disease Control 2020, around 249,000 confirmed illnesses and 866 deaths among medical staff were reported. As a result, it is vital that they adhere to the safety guidelines recommended by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC 2020). Apart from healthcare workers, it is critical for hospital owners and those in health-related businesses (pharmacies, clinics, patent stores, and so on) who contribute to the health-care workforce to ensure that they have the necessary safety equipment and facilities in place to meet the NCDC’s recommendations. Not only is it their exclusive job to ensure that PPE is provided, but it is also their sole responsibility to ensure that both patients and health staff do not take these precautions for granted. However According to information obtained by the World Health Organization, the health sector has not done much to prevent the spread of this unusual disease. According to preliminary data, they account for more than 5% of cases in 14 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with health sectors accounting for more than 10% of all infections in four of them. The diseases are attributed to a lack of access to personal protective equipment or ineffective infection prevention and control procedures, according to the UN agency 2020. This is on top of healthcare personnel being exposed to individuals who do not have coronavirus symptoms but are in the hospital for a variety of reasons. When health staff are repurposed for coronavirus response without sufficient training, risks develop. .Also, hospital administration, patent store owners, and pharmacists’ incapacity to set up a previous screening equipment at the entrance to their premises, guaranteeing that patients who require their services follow the Washing, Sanitation, and Hygiene -WASH methods indicated for Covid-19 prevention (Covid-19 task force 2020)
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Due to their intimate interaction with patients, healthcare workers are at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Patients with acute respiratory symptoms should be triaged, and contact distances of at least 2 meters should be established, with patients wearing face masks. During the treatment of these patients, the health-care industry should guarantee that all employees and patients who visit their hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and maintain proper hand hygiene. Poor WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices, on the other hand, lead to hospital-acquired infections and disease transfer from health institutions to the population, exacerbating the disease’s wild spread (Aglar 2021). According to the Cochrane database, long and constantly changing local guidelines, a lack of management support, a lack of enough space for isolation, a lack of quality and adequate PPE, and the fear of patients being stigmatized if masks are worn are all major impediments to following the guidelines in the healthcare sector. As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine the amount of Covid-19 safety compliance in the healthcare sector.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The goal of this study is to determine the amount of covid-19 safety compliance in the health sector. It will, in particular:
Examine the various Covid-19 safety measures that have been implemented.
To look into the numerous covid-19 safety procedures that the healthcare industry adheres to.
To determine the level of conformity with the Covid-19 safety standard in the health-care industry.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What are the several covid-19 safety measures that the Ministry of Health has put in place?
What are the different Covid-19 safety procedures that General Hospital Offa follows?
What is the level of Covid-19 safety compliance among General Hospital Offa’s employees and patients?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will indicate a higher degree of awareness in the health sector about the importance of adhering to the Covid-19 safety standards because they are at a high risk of disease exposure. It will oblige hospital, pharmacy, and patent store owners to guarantee that facilities and equipment are in place to enable efficient compliance with these safety standards. It would allow the government to ensure that authorities involved, such as the NCDC task force, conduct frequent checks on the health sector to ensure that a high level of compliance is maintained, so limiting the spread of this novel disease. This study will also contribute to the current literature on the subject and serve as a guide for scholars, researchers, and students interested in learning more about it.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Using General Hospital, Offa, Kwara State, this study will analyze the extent of COVID-19 safety compliance in the health sector.
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
H0: The health-care sector has a low degree of covid-19 safety compliance.
H1: The health-care sector has a high degree of covid-19 safety compliance.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Several problems were faced over the course of the research, including but not limited to the following. These are the ones.
Inadequate funding: The research was hampered by a lack of funds, which prevented the researcher from accessing banks in Lagos, as well as printing and collating questionnaires.
Time: Another constraint is time, as this research had to be completed while also juggling other academic responsibilities, making it hard to conduct this study in a larger, more representative sample size.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
COVID-19: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a sickness caused by a new corona virus known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2).
HEALTH SECTOR: The health sector is comprised of hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical stores, pharmacies, and other health-related enterprises that provide goods and services to treat patients with curative, preventative, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
Leave a Comment