Non-communicable diseases in the Western Area District, Sierra Leone, before and during the Ebola outbreak
Reporting systems, attendances and facility-based patterns of 6 NCDs in the pre-Ebola outbreak periods
Abstract
Setting
27 peripheral health units, 5 secondary hospitals and one tertiary hospital, Western Area District, Sierra Leone
Objectives
To describe reporting systems, monthly attendances and facility-based patterns of 6 non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the pre-Ebola and Ebola virus disease outbreak periods.
Design
A cross-sectional study using programme data.
Conclusion
Comprehensive reporting of NCDs was suboptimal, and declined during the Ebola epidemic. There were decreases in reported attendances for NCDs between the pre-Ebola and the Ebola outbreak periods, which were even more marked in the hospitals. This study has important policy implications.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Samba T, Bhat P, Owiti P, Samuels L, Kanneh PJ, Paul R, Kargbo B, Harries AD. Non-communicable diseases in the Western Area District, Sierra Leone, before and during the Ebola outbreak. Public Health Action. 2017;7(1):16–21.