Internally displaced persons and Covid-19: Leveraging local low cost COVID-19 solutions in informal settlements in Zimbabwe
Duration: 24 August 2020 to 14 February 2022
Project team: Dr Roda Madziva is Co-I
Project summary
This project focuses on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in informal settlements in Harare, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a Southern African country which is among the latest countries in the African region to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing daily spikes in Covid-19 cases, and is on a drive to put measures in place to combat the threat of rising numbers including public health education regarding practising hygiene, isolation, quarantine, social distancing and the wearing of protective clothing such as masks in public spaces. IDPs are however an economically disadvantaged and secluded population, with limited access to the critical public health information and resources to comply with the recommended Covid-19 hygiene standards in overcrowded conditions. Yet their precarious situation pauses a serious risk both to their population, and the mainstream population given the nature of the pandemic.
Bringing together an interdisciplinary team of two UK universities, three Zimbabwe universities and a local NGO, this 18-month impact-oriented project aims to complement the government’s current response to the pandemic by adapting locally developed low cost Covid-19 solutions to fit IDPs’ needs.
Watch the project documentary
Outputs
During the Covid period, Roda was invited by a Zimbabwe based public health research group to co-author a few outputs on Covid-19 in Zimbabwe and Africa:
- Dzinamarira, T., Nkambule, S.J., Hlongwa, M., Mhango, M., Iradukunda, P.G., Chitungo, I., Dzobo, M., Mapingure, M.P., Chingombe, I., Mashora, M., Madziva, R., Herrera, H., Makanda, P., Atwine, J., Mbunge, E., Musuka, G., Murewanhema, G. and Ngara, B. (2022). "Risk factors for COVID-19 among healthcare workers. A first report from a living systematic review and meta-analysis." Safety and Health at Work. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2022.04.001
- Murewanhema, G., Dzinamarira, T., Chingombe, I., Mapingure, M.P., Mukwenha, S., Chitungo, I., Herrera H., Madziva, R., Ngwenya, S. and Musuka, G. (2022). “Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, inequitable distribution of vaccines and implications for control of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa”. COVID, 2: 341-349. https://doi.org/10.3390/covid2030023
- Madziva, R., Murewanhema, G., Musuka, G., Mapingure, M.P., Chingombe, I., Herrera, H., Chiyaka, E.T. (2022). “Fighting COVID-19 pandemic fatigue and complacency in Zimbabwe”. Public Health in Practice: doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2022.100236.
- Musuka, G., Dzinamarira, T., Madziva, R., Herrera, H. and Wafaa El Sadr (2022). “Protecting HIV service delivery for key populations in Southern Africa in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic”. IJID Regions, 3: 114-116. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijregi.2022.03.008.
- Madziva, R., Murewanhema, G. Dzinamarira, T., Herrera, H., and Musuka, G. (2021). “Enhancing SARS-CoV-2 surveillance at ports of entry between South Africa and Zimbabwe due to anticipated increased human mobility during the festive period”. Public Health in Practice, 2: 100215-16: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100215.
- Dzinamarira, T., Murewanhema, G., Mapingure, M., Chingombe, I., Mukwenha, S., Madziva, R., Herrera, H., and Musuka, G. (2021). “Zimbabwe’s vaccination momentum needs a “urgent boost” ahead of an imminent COVID-19 resurgence”. South African Medical Journal, 111(12):1164-1165. https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i12.16231
- Murewanhema, G. Dzinamarira, T., Musuka, G., Madziva, R. and Herrera, H. (2021) “SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related adverse events in Zimbabwe: the need to strengthen pharmacovigilance in resource-limited settings”. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety: https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.5393.
- Murewanhema, G., Mukwenha, S., Dzinamarira, T., Mukandavire, Z., Cuadros, D., Madziva, R., Chingombe, I., Mapingure, M., Herrera, H. and Musuka, G. (2021). “Optimising COVID-19 vaccination as a critical control strategy to mitigate SARS-C0V-2 transmission alongside other infection prevention and control strategies within schools in Zimbabwe”. Vaccines, 9(12): 1-10 https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121481
- Mukwenha, S., Murewanhema, G., Madziva, R., Dzinamarira, T. Herrera, H. and Musuka, G. (2021). “Increased illicit substance abuse among the Zimbabwean adolescents and youths during the COVID-19 era: An impending public health disaster”. Addiction: https://doi:10.1111/add.15729.
- Dzinamarira, T., Murewanhema, G., Iradukunda, P.G., Madziva, R., Herrera, H., Cuadros, D.F., Tungwarara, N.; Chitungo, I.; Musuka, G. (2022). “Utilization of SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance in Africa—A Rapid Review”. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19 (969): https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020969.