Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons
Introduction The novel coronavirus disease has had significant impact on healthcare globally. Knowledge of this virus is evolving, definitive care is not yet known and mortality is increasing. We assessed its initial impact on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria, creating a benchmark for recomme...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2020-11-01
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| Series: | BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000732.full |
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| author | Ibukunolu Olufemi Ogundele Felix M Alakaloko Collins C Nwokoro Emmanuel A Ameh |
| author_facet | Ibukunolu Olufemi Ogundele Felix M Alakaloko Collins C Nwokoro Emmanuel A Ameh |
| author_sort | Ibukunolu Olufemi Ogundele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction The novel coronavirus disease has had significant impact on healthcare globally. Knowledge of this virus is evolving, definitive care is not yet known and mortality is increasing. We assessed its initial impact on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria, creating a benchmark for recommendations and future reference.Methods Survey of 120 paediatric surgeons from 50 centres to assess sociodemographics and specific domains of impact of COVID-19 on their services and training in Nigeria. Valid responses were represented as categorical data and presented in percentages. Duplicate submissions for centres were excluded by combining and taking the mean of responses from centres with multiple respondents.Results Response rate was 74 (61%). Forty-six (92%) centres had suspended elective surgeries. All centres continued emergency surgeries but volume reduced in March by 31%. Eleven (22%) centres reported 13 suspended elective cases presenting as emergencies in March, accounting for 3% of total emergency surgeries. Twelve (24%) centres adopted new modalities for managing selected surgical conditions: non-operative reduction of intussusception in 1 (2%), antibiotic management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in 5 (10%) and more conservative management of trauma and replacement of laparoscopic appendectomy with open surgery in 3 (6%), respectively. Low perception of adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE) was reported in 35 (70%) centres. Forty (80%) centres did not offer telemedicine for patients’ follow-up. Twenty-nine (58%) centres had suspended academic training. Perception of safety to operate was low in 37 (50%) respondents, indifferent in 24% and high in 26%.Conclusion Majority of paediatric surgical centres reported cessation of elective surgeries while continuing emergencies. There was, however, an acute decline in the volume of emergency surgeries. Adequate PPE needs to be provided and preparations towards handling backlog of elective surgeries once the pandemic recedes. Further study is planned to more conclusively understand the full impact of this pandemic on children’s surgery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4caeb2d9db4e4d9dac5b622ca7c537e9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2399-9772 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-4caeb2d9db4e4d9dac5b622ca7c537e92025-08-20T01:53:30ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Paediatrics Open2399-97722020-11-014110.1136/bmjpo-2020-000732Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeonsIbukunolu Olufemi Ogundele0Felix M Alakaloko1Collins C Nwokoro2Emmanuel A Ameh3Department of Surgery, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, NigeriaSurgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Surulere, Lagos, NigeriaSurgery, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun, NigeriaDivision of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Hospital, Abuja, NigeriaIntroduction The novel coronavirus disease has had significant impact on healthcare globally. Knowledge of this virus is evolving, definitive care is not yet known and mortality is increasing. We assessed its initial impact on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria, creating a benchmark for recommendations and future reference.Methods Survey of 120 paediatric surgeons from 50 centres to assess sociodemographics and specific domains of impact of COVID-19 on their services and training in Nigeria. Valid responses were represented as categorical data and presented in percentages. Duplicate submissions for centres were excluded by combining and taking the mean of responses from centres with multiple respondents.Results Response rate was 74 (61%). Forty-six (92%) centres had suspended elective surgeries. All centres continued emergency surgeries but volume reduced in March by 31%. Eleven (22%) centres reported 13 suspended elective cases presenting as emergencies in March, accounting for 3% of total emergency surgeries. Twelve (24%) centres adopted new modalities for managing selected surgical conditions: non-operative reduction of intussusception in 1 (2%), antibiotic management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in 5 (10%) and more conservative management of trauma and replacement of laparoscopic appendectomy with open surgery in 3 (6%), respectively. Low perception of adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE) was reported in 35 (70%) centres. Forty (80%) centres did not offer telemedicine for patients’ follow-up. Twenty-nine (58%) centres had suspended academic training. Perception of safety to operate was low in 37 (50%) respondents, indifferent in 24% and high in 26%.Conclusion Majority of paediatric surgical centres reported cessation of elective surgeries while continuing emergencies. There was, however, an acute decline in the volume of emergency surgeries. Adequate PPE needs to be provided and preparations towards handling backlog of elective surgeries once the pandemic recedes. Further study is planned to more conclusively understand the full impact of this pandemic on children’s surgery.https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000732.full |
| spellingShingle | Ibukunolu Olufemi Ogundele Felix M Alakaloko Collins C Nwokoro Emmanuel A Ameh Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| title | Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| title_full | Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| title_fullStr | Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| title_short | Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| title_sort | early impact of covid 19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in nigeria a national survey of paediatric surgeons |
| url | https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000732.full |
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