Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on the Experiences and Wellbeing of NTD Frontline Health Workers and Implementers in Kaduna, Kwara and Ogun States, Nigeria

Main Objectives

To explore experiences of frontline health workers and the impact of COVID-19 on their wellbeing
To identify the challenges faced by health workers regarding workload, stigma, and community perceptions during the pandemic and whether this varies by gender, age and community
To recommend strategies to support health workers and strengthen the health system in managing NTDs in future outbreaks.

Summary

The COUNTDOWN COVID-19 Rapid Research Fellowship fund was established to support the generation of innovative research on NTDs and COVID-19. It aimed to inform the current outbreak response and preparedness for future outbreaks, to allow for the continuation of routine NTD services.

The current pandemic presents worldwide challenges to health systems. While many Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) activities have been postponed according to WHO guidelines, NTD programs are uniquely positioned to respond to COVID-19 with their focus on community-based care and the vital role of frontline health workers (FLHWs), particularly community health workers, including community drug distributors and primary health facility staff.

In Nigeria, NTD staff have been redeployed in COVID-19 response, including testing and treatment. However, the present circumstances have resulted in changes of workloads for FLHWs, including experiencing emotional stress while working in intense and unprecedented situations. This study therefore aimed to address this gap by exploring the impact of COVID-19 and experiences in relation to wellbeing of NTD FLHWs in Nigeria. The study captured their stories through creative participatory methods such as photovoice/photo elicitation, WhatsApp group discussions and visual vignettes.