Role of primary healthcare in the response to COVID-19

What is it about?

Health authorities are focused on swiftly alleviating the spread of COVID-19 infections to support the overburdened healthcare system and reduce the mortality rates associated with the ongoing pandemic.

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Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Looking at Role of PHC during COVID-19 in Oman. You will be able to see how the PHC system is functioning and what measures taken to support the system. Across Oman, there are 243 primary healthcare (PHC) clinics that act as the first point of contact for providing a comprehensive range of healthcare services. Further, they provide access to more than 30 programs that are delivered by well-trained primary care staff from different categories. PHCs adopted the strategy of providing healthcare services directly related to positive COVID-19 cases, preventing the likely spread of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers, and reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community. This review outlines four major challenges that were observed and informally reported by the healthcare workers at PHCs in Oman from January to December 2020. Understanding the nature of these challenges can help health authorities in preparing effectively for any future viral outbreaks and mitigating them in a timely and efficient manner. One of the major challenges faced by PHCs was the reduction in outpatient services from January to December 2020 in comparison with the same time period in the last year. PHCs addressed the main health problems in the community through health promotion, as well as preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services under unusual circumstances. However, there is a need for a modified approach during circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help us cope with possible future viral outbreaks in a better manner.

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