Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report
The public sector primary care facilities in Cape Town serve a large number of patients with chronic diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prior to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, stabl...
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doaj-52aa0cb9471f485598c75cf759e1f50b2020-11-25T03:53:15ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362020-06-01121e1e410.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2449722Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short reportZameer Brey0Robert Mash1Charlyn Goliath2Darrin Roman3Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Cape TownDivision of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownMetropolitan Health Services, Western Cape Government, Cape TownMetropolitan Health Services, Western Cape Government, Cape TownThe public sector primary care facilities in Cape Town serve a large number of patients with chronic diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prior to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, stable patients with chronic conditions attended the facility or support groups to obtain their medication. During the COVID-19 epidemic, these patients would be put at risk if they had to travel and gather in groups to receive medication. The Metropolitan Health Services, therefore, decided to offer home delivery of medication. A system of home delivery was rapidly established by linking the existing chronic dispensing unit system with the emerging approach to community-orientated primary care in the Metro. Medication was delivered as usual to primary care pharmacies, but then a variety of means were used to disseminate the parcels to local non-profit organisations, where they could be delivered by a city-wide network of community health workers (CHWs). Innovations included various ways of delivering the parcels, including via Uber, bicycles and electric scooters, as well as Google forms to monitor the success of the initiative. It was estimated that up to 200 000 parcels per month could be delivered in this way via 2500 CHWs. The new system was established throughout the Metropole, and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are further discussed. The initiative may prevent COVID-19 amongst people with comorbidities who would be at risk of more severe diseases. It may also have de-congested primary care facilities ahead of the expected surge in COVID-19 cases.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2449primary carecovid-19community health workerschronic diseasemedication adherence |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Zameer Brey Robert Mash Charlyn Goliath Darrin Roman |
spellingShingle |
Zameer Brey Robert Mash Charlyn Goliath Darrin Roman Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine primary care covid-19 community health workers chronic disease medication adherence |
author_facet |
Zameer Brey Robert Mash Charlyn Goliath Darrin Roman |
author_sort |
Zameer Brey |
title |
Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report |
title_short |
Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report |
title_full |
Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report |
title_fullStr |
Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report |
title_full_unstemmed |
Home delivery of medication during Coronavirus disease 2019, Cape Town, South Africa: Short report |
title_sort |
home delivery of medication during coronavirus disease 2019, cape town, south africa: short report |
publisher |
AOSIS |
series |
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
issn |
2071-2928 2071-2936 |
publishDate |
2020-06-01 |
description |
The public sector primary care facilities in Cape Town serve a large number of patients with chronic diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prior to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, stable patients with chronic conditions attended the facility or support groups to obtain their medication. During the COVID-19 epidemic, these patients would be put at risk if they had to travel and gather in groups to receive medication. The Metropolitan Health Services, therefore, decided to offer home delivery of medication. A system of home delivery was rapidly established by linking the existing chronic dispensing unit system with the emerging approach to community-orientated primary care in the Metro. Medication was delivered as usual to primary care pharmacies, but then a variety of means were used to disseminate the parcels to local non-profit organisations, where they could be delivered by a city-wide network of community health workers (CHWs). Innovations included various ways of delivering the parcels, including via Uber, bicycles and electric scooters, as well as Google forms to monitor the success of the initiative. It was estimated that up to 200 000 parcels per month could be delivered in this way via 2500 CHWs. The new system was established throughout the Metropole, and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are further discussed. The initiative may prevent COVID-19 amongst people with comorbidities who would be at risk of more severe diseases. It may also have de-congested primary care facilities ahead of the expected surge in COVID-19 cases. |
topic |
primary care covid-19 community health workers chronic disease medication adherence |
url |
https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2449 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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