Abstract
Background The World Health Organization has warned against a dramatic impact of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa unless adequate response strategies are implemented. Whatever the strategy, the role of health care workers is pivotal. We undertook this study to assess knowledge of COVID-19 and perception of the response to the pandemic among the staff of a regional hospital in charge of COVID-19 patients in West Cameroon.
Methods We used a convenience non probabilistic sampling method to carry out a survey with a self-administered questionnaire from April 14, 2020 to April 29, 2020 at the Bafoussam Regional Hospital (BRH). All the staff was invited to participate. Statistical analyses were done using Microsoft Excel 2010 and Epi-lnfo version 7.1.5.2 software.
Results Response rate was 76.1% (464/610). Mean age (SD) and average work experience (SD) were 35.0 (8.9) and 8.4 (7.4) years respectively. Sex ratio (M/F) was 101/356. Nursing and midwifery staff (56.8%) and in-patients units (49.94%) were predominant. Knowledge on origin and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was poor but knowledge of clinical signs and the role of laboratory tests were good. 53.2% of respondents said all therapeutic regimens are only supportive and only a third of them trusted drugs recommended by health authorities. For 36.9% of respondents, herbal remedies can prevent/cure COVID-19. 70% of staffs felt they were not knowledgeable enough to handle COVID-19 cases. 85.6% of respondents thought the BRH had insufficient resources to adequately respond to COVID-19 and 55.6% were dissatisfied with its response to the pandemic (weaknesses: medicines/technologies (74.5%), service delivery (28.1%), human resource (10.9%)). 68% of staff felt insufficiently protected on duty and 76.5% reported that the pandemic significantly reduced non-COVID-19 services. 85.5% said they complied with preventive measures while in the community. For 44% of respondents Cameroonian regulations on COVID-19 corpses should be made more culture-sensitive. 51.2% of respondents were against vaccine trial in their community.
Conclusion Knowledge of COVID-19 was poor and perception of the response to the pandemic was unfavorable.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Funding Statement
no external funding was received
Author Declarations
I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
The Bafoussam Regional Hospital Institutional review board has approved this study
All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.
Yes
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Yes
I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.
Yes
Data Availability
All data supporting this manuscript are available on request.