IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIV, TB, MALARIA PROGRAMMING IN AFRICA: WHAT WERE COUNTRY EXPERIENCES AND KEY INTERVENTIONS?

LABORATORY SERVICES BACKGROUND Laboratory services play a critical role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. As the world moves towards the goal to eliminate HIV, TB and Malaria by 2030, the role of laboratories cannot be understated. The onset of COVID-19 pandemic, a virus that too requires laboratory services for its diagnostics, has…

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIV, TB, MALARIA PROGRAMMING IN AFRICA: WHAT WERE COUNTRY EXPERIENCES AND KEY INTERVENTIONS?

HIV/AIDS AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN BACKGROUND Despite great progress made against HIV globally, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are disproportionately at risk of acquiring new HIV infections. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures, including school closures, further predispose the AGYW at risk. Therefore, policy measures remain a necessity to reduce the…

Covid-19 series

Background In Africa, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Egypt on 14th of February, 2020.1 By March 2020, several countries had started implementing stricter control measures that include lockdowns, curfews, schools closure, ban on large gatherings (e.g. religious, sports, funerals, and other social events), systematic quarantines, and strict infection control measures.2 On 11th…