Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana
Background: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency screening test is essential for malaria treatment, control, and elimination programs. G6PD deficient individuals are at high risk of severe hemolysis when given anti-malarial drugs such as primaquine, quinine, other sulphonamide-contain...
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doaj-3c0a88a059e1464d8ce8c069e07df9302020-11-25T02:02:50ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182020-04-011022922910.3390/diagnostics10040229Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in GhanaDesmond Kuupiel0Kwame M. Adu1Vitalis Bawontuo2Duncan A. Adogboba3Paul K. Drain4Mosa Moshabela5Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson6Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaDepartment of Geography, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaResearch for Sustainable Development Consult, Sunyani, GhanaRegional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Upper East Region, Bolgatanga, GhanaDepartment of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USADepartment of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaDepartment of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaBackground: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency screening test is essential for malaria treatment, control, and elimination programs. G6PD deficient individuals are at high risk of severe hemolysis when given anti-malarial drugs such as primaquine, quinine, other sulphonamide-containing medicines, and chloroquine, which has recently been shown to be potent for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We evaluated the geographical accessibility to POC testing for G6PD deficiency in Ghana, a malaria-endemic country. Methods: We obtained the geographic information of 100 randomly sampled clinics previously included in a cross-sectional survey. We also obtained the geolocated data of all public hospitals providing G6PD deficiency testing services in the region. Using ArcGIS 10.5, we quantified geographical access to G6PD deficiency screening test and identified clinics as well as visualize locations with poor access for targeted improvement. The travel time was estimated using an assumed speed of 20 km per hour. Findings: Of the 100 clinics, 58% were Community-based Health Planning and Services facilities, and 42% were sub-district health centers. The majority (92%) were Ghana Health Service facilities, and the remaining 8% were Christian Health Association of Ghana facilities. Access to G6PD deficiency screening test was varied across the districts, and G6PD deficiency screening test was available in all eight public hospitals. This implies that the health facility-to-population ratio for G6PD deficiency testing service was approximately 1:159,210 (8/1,273,677) population. The spatial analysis quantified the current mean distance to a G6PD deficiency testing service from all locations in the region to be 34 ± 14 km, and travel time (68 ± 27 min). The estimated mean distance from a clinic to a district hospital for G6PD deficiency testing services was 15 ± 11 km, and travel time (46 ± 33 min). Conclusion: Access to POC testing for G6PD deficiency in Ghana was poor. Given the challenges associated with G6PD deficiency, it would be essential to improve access to G6PD deficiency POC testing to facilitate administration of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine to pregnant women, full implementation of the malaria control program in Ghana, and treatment of COVID-19 patients with chloroquine in malaria-endemic countries. To enable the World Health Organization include appropriate G6PD POC diagnostic tests in its list of essential in-vitro diagnostics for use in resource-limited settings, we recommend a wider evaluation of available POC diagnostic tests for G6PD deficiency, particularly in malaria-endemic countries.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/4/229geographical accessGlucose-6-Phosphate dioxygenase deficiencypoint-of-care testingantenatal careupper east regionGhana |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Desmond Kuupiel Kwame M. Adu Vitalis Bawontuo Duncan A. Adogboba Paul K. Drain Mosa Moshabela Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson |
spellingShingle |
Desmond Kuupiel Kwame M. Adu Vitalis Bawontuo Duncan A. Adogboba Paul K. Drain Mosa Moshabela Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana Diagnostics geographical access Glucose-6-Phosphate dioxygenase deficiency point-of-care testing antenatal care upper east region Ghana |
author_facet |
Desmond Kuupiel Kwame M. Adu Vitalis Bawontuo Duncan A. Adogboba Paul K. Drain Mosa Moshabela Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson |
author_sort |
Desmond Kuupiel |
title |
Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana |
title_short |
Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana |
title_full |
Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana |
title_fullStr |
Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana |
title_full_unstemmed |
Geographical Accessibility to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dioxygenase Deficiency Point-of-Care Testing for Antenatal Care in Ghana |
title_sort |
geographical accessibility to glucose-6-phosphate dioxygenase deficiency point-of-care testing for antenatal care in ghana |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Diagnostics |
issn |
2075-4418 |
publishDate |
2020-04-01 |
description |
Background: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency screening test is essential for malaria treatment, control, and elimination programs. G6PD deficient individuals are at high risk of severe hemolysis when given anti-malarial drugs such as primaquine, quinine, other sulphonamide-containing medicines, and chloroquine, which has recently been shown to be potent for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We evaluated the geographical accessibility to POC testing for G6PD deficiency in Ghana, a malaria-endemic country. Methods: We obtained the geographic information of 100 randomly sampled clinics previously included in a cross-sectional survey. We also obtained the geolocated data of all public hospitals providing G6PD deficiency testing services in the region. Using ArcGIS 10.5, we quantified geographical access to G6PD deficiency screening test and identified clinics as well as visualize locations with poor access for targeted improvement. The travel time was estimated using an assumed speed of 20 km per hour. Findings: Of the 100 clinics, 58% were Community-based Health Planning and Services facilities, and 42% were sub-district health centers. The majority (92%) were Ghana Health Service facilities, and the remaining 8% were Christian Health Association of Ghana facilities. Access to G6PD deficiency screening test was varied across the districts, and G6PD deficiency screening test was available in all eight public hospitals. This implies that the health facility-to-population ratio for G6PD deficiency testing service was approximately 1:159,210 (8/1,273,677) population. The spatial analysis quantified the current mean distance to a G6PD deficiency testing service from all locations in the region to be 34 ± 14 km, and travel time (68 ± 27 min). The estimated mean distance from a clinic to a district hospital for G6PD deficiency testing services was 15 ± 11 km, and travel time (46 ± 33 min). Conclusion: Access to POC testing for G6PD deficiency in Ghana was poor. Given the challenges associated with G6PD deficiency, it would be essential to improve access to G6PD deficiency POC testing to facilitate administration of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine to pregnant women, full implementation of the malaria control program in Ghana, and treatment of COVID-19 patients with chloroquine in malaria-endemic countries. To enable the World Health Organization include appropriate G6PD POC diagnostic tests in its list of essential in-vitro diagnostics for use in resource-limited settings, we recommend a wider evaluation of available POC diagnostic tests for G6PD deficiency, particularly in malaria-endemic countries. |
topic |
geographical access Glucose-6-Phosphate dioxygenase deficiency point-of-care testing antenatal care upper east region Ghana |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/4/229 |
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