Implementation of the 7-1-7 target for detection, notification, and response to public health threats in five countries: a retrospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal detection and response to recent outbreaks, including COVID-19 and mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), have shown that the world is insufficiently prepared for public health threats. Routine monitoring of detection and response performance of health emergency systems through timeliness metrics has been proposed to evaluate and improve outbreak preparedness and contain health threats early. We implemented 7-1-7 to measure the timeliness of detection (target of ≤7 days from emergence), notification (target of ≤1 day from detection), and completion of seven early response actions (target of ≤7 days from notification), and we identified bottlenecks to and enablers of system performance. METHODS: In this retrospective, observational study, we conducted reviews of public health events in Brazil, Ethiopia, Liberia, Nigeria, and Uganda with staff from ministries of health and national public health institutes. For selected public health events occurring from Jan 1, 2018, to Dec 31, 2022, we calculated timeliness intervals for detection, notification, and early response actions, and synthesised identified bottlenecks and enablers. We mapped bottlenecks and enablers to Joint External Evaluation (second edition) indicators. FINDINGS: Of 41 public health events assessed, 22 (54%) met a target of 7 days to detect (median 6 days [range 0-157]), 29 (71%) met a target of 1 day to notify (0 days [0-24]), and 20 (49%) met a target of 7 days to complete all early response actions (8 days [0-72]). 11 (27%) events met the complete 7-1-7 target, with variation among event types. 25 (61%) of 41 bottlenecks to and 27 (51%) of 53 enablers of detection were at the health facility level, with delays to notification (14 [44%] of 32 bottlenecks) and response (22 [39%] of 56 bottlenecks) most often at an intermediate public health (ie, municipal, district, county, state, or province) level. Rapid resource mobilisation for responses (six [9%] of 65 enablers) from the national level enabled faster responses. INTERPRETATION: The 7-1-7 target is feasible to measure and to achieve, and assessment with this framework can identify areas for performance improvement and help prioritise national planning. Increased investments must be made at the health facility and intermediate public health levels for improved systems to detect, notify, and rapidly respond to emerging public health threats. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The impact of Covid-19 on malaria services in three high endemic districts in Rwanda: a mixed-method study.

BACKGROUND: Rwanda has achieved impressive reductions in malaria morbidity and mortality over the past two decades. However, the disruption of essential services due to the current Covid-19 pandemic can lead to a reversal of these gains in malaria control unless targeted, evidence-based interventions are implemented to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The extent to which malaria services have been disrupted has not been fully characterized. This study was conducted to assess the impact of Covid-19 on malaria services in Rwanda. METHODS: A mixed-methods study was conducted in three purposively selected districts in Rwanda. The quantitative data included malaria aggregated data reported at the health facility level and the community level. The data included the number of malaria tests, uncomplicated malaria cases, severe malaria cases, and malaria deaths. The qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions with community members and community health workers, as well as in-depth interviews with health care providers and staff working in the malaria programme. Interrupted time series analysis was conducted to compare changes in malaria presentations between the pre-Covid-19 period (January 2019 to February 2020) and Covid-19 period (from March 2020 to November 2020). The constant comparative method was used in qualitative thematic analysis. RESULTS: Compared to the pre-Covid-19 period, there was a monthly reduction in patients tested in health facilities of 4.32 per 1000 population and a monthly increase in patients tested in the community of 2.38 per 1000 population during the Covid-19 period. There was no change in the overall presentation rate for uncomplicated malaria. The was a monthly reduction in the proportion of severe malaria of 5.47 per 100,000 malaria cases. Additionally, although healthcare providers continued to provide malaria services, they were fearful that this would expose them and their families to Covid-19. Covid-19 mitigation measures limited the availability of transportation options for the community to seek care in health facilities and delayed the implementation of some key malaria interventions. The focus on Covid-19-related communication also reduced the amount of health information for other diseases provided to community members. CONCLUSION: The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in patients increasingly seeking care in the community and poses challenges to maintaining delivery of malaria services in Rwanda. Interventions to mitigate these challenges should focus on strengthening programming for the community and home-based care models and integrating malaria messages into Covid-19-related communication. Additionally, implementation of the interrupted interventions should be timed and overlap with the malaria transmission season to mitigate Covid-19 consequences on malaria.