Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on standard care for stroke patients at Our Lady’s Hospice of Kalingalinga and University Teaching Hospitals in Zambia
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems globally. This study investigates the impact of the pandemic on routine care for stroke patients, focusing on physiotherapy services at Our Lady’s Hospice of Kalingalinga and University Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional approach was employed, enrolling 43 stroke patients. Demographic characteristics, institutional variations, and session delays were analyzed for two periods: before (October-December 2019) and during the pandemic (March-May 2020). Results: The majority of participants (51-70 years old) demonstrated consistent attendance patterns, with females outnumbering males. Institutional shifts during the pandemic revealed decreased attendance at the University Teaching Hospitals and a slight increase at the hospice. Delays in session appointments surged during the pandemic, emphasizing the challenges faced by stroke patients. Conclusion: This study highlights the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine stroke care, emphasizing the need for adaptive healthcare strategies to ensure continuous and timely services for this vulnerable population during public health crises.All authors who submit their paper for publication will abide by following provisions of the copyright transfer: 1. The copyright of the paper rests with the authors. And they are transferring the copyright to publish the article and used the article for indexing and storing for public use with due reference to published matter in the name of concerned authors. 2. The authors reserve all proprietary rights such as patent rights and the right to use all or part of the article in future works of their own such as lectures, press releases, and reviews of textbooks. 3. In the case of republication of the whole, part, or parts thereof, in periodicals or reprint publications by a third party, written permission must be obtained from the Managing Editor of JPRM. 4. The authors declare that the material being presented by them in this paper is their original work, and does not contain or include material taken from other copyrighted sources. Wherever such material has been included, it has been clearly indented or/and identified by quotation marks and due and proper acknowledgements given by citing the source at appropriate places. 5. The paper, the final version of which they submit, is not substantially the same as any that they had already published elsewhere. 6. They declare that they have not sent the paper or any paper substantially the same as the submitted one, for publication anywhere else. 7. Furthermore, the author may only post his/her version provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication in this journal and a link is inserted wherever published. 8. All contents, Parts, written matters, publications are under copyright act taken by JPRM. 9. Published articles will be available for use by scholars and researchers. 10. IJPRM is not responsible in any type of claim on publication in our Journal. .