TITLE:
Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Severe Childhood Malaria at the University Hospital of Brazzaville
AUTHORS:
Moyen Engoba, Arquevia Nature Ofamalekou Gnakingue, Ben Borgea Nianga, Carel Ervane Goma, Armel Landry Batchi-Bouyou, Annie Rachelle Okoko, Georges Marius Moyen
KEYWORDS:
Impact, Covid-19, Severe Malaria, Children, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.11 No.2,
June
24,
2021
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Malaria management has been a source of concern for health systems since
the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. Objective: To assess the impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic on severe childhood malaria in Brazzaville. Material and Method: A quasi-experimental intervention/non-intervention study was carried out between
March and October 2020 in the pediatric departments of the Brazzaville University
Hospital. Children aged three months to 15 years hospitalized were the target population.
Two groups were formed: the “intervention” group, that of children hospitalized
between March and October 2020 and the “control” group that of those hospitalized between January and August 2015. The study
variables were epidemiological, clinical, biological and therapeutic. Chi-square
and T-Student tests were used. The impact of the intervention was assessed by the
absolute risk difference. Results: Of 1392 children hospitalized, 199 (14.6%)
had severe malaria with an average age of 6.94 years. These were children under
5 years old n = 95 (47.7%) of low socioeconomic level n = 145 (72.9%) seen on average
after 4.6 +/? 2.4 days. Repeated convulsions (56.8%) and anemia
(20.1%) were the main reasons for hospitalization. These were isolated forms (n
= 146; 73.4%) of which n = 84 (42.2%) neurological and n = 62 (31.2%) anemic. The
lethality was 13.1%. Delayed consultation, fever, repeated convulsions, pallor,
respiratory distress, sickle cell anemia, thrombocytopenia and hypoglycemia are
associated with death. The risk difference for signs of severity between the two
periods was 16.6 for repeated convulsions; 14.3 for severe anemia. The relative
risk between the two studies was 1.8. Conclusion: The increase in morbidity
and mortality in severe malaria since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic encourages
the maintenance of the balance between the management of the Covid-19 pandemic and
that of other worrying health problems.