Risk Assessment of Covid-19 Infection among Healthcare Workers at 3 Treatment Centres in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

The Coronavirus disease 19 (Covid-19) has gradually spread all over the world becoming a serious public health problem. The pandemic has virtually affected the economic systems of both the developing and developed world. Health workers are the front-liners of the covid-19 outbreak and are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of the infection. The major reason for health care workers infection is their lack of understanding of the disease, unavailability of personal protective equipment's (PPEs), psychological stress to mention but few.

The aim of the study is to assess the exposure of healthcare workers to covid-19 and to improve Infection, prevention and control (IPC) practices at all level and contain the current covid-19 outbreak at Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Turai Maternal and Child Health and General AmadiRimi Specialist Hospital.

 There were 28 positive cases and 56 controls in ratio 2:1. Males were 63 while females were 15. The mean age was 36. Doctors were mostly affected. Those adequately trained for covid-19 IPC were 47%. Those who knew what risk assessment was 23%. Health Care Workers with community exposure were 60.3% and those with occupational exposure were 35.9%. High risk group in this study were use of N95 or its equivalent (54%), removal of PPE according to protocol (71%), hand hygiene after touching patients surrounding (58%). Decontamination of high surfaces (74%).

Protection of health care workers should be made a priority by regularly training and retraining them, making PPEs available, ensuring HCWs get tested.