GCRF_NF151 COVID19:Determining trustworthiness and safety of REmote Consulting in primary healthcare (REaCH) for chronic disease populations in Africa

在COVID-19大流行期间，面对面的医疗预约使非洲的卫生工作者及其患者面临风险。病人害怕去诊所，例如取药，这可能会损害他们的健康。世界卫生组织建议通过电话或互联网进行远程医疗。由于数字基础设施有限，这在非洲很困难，我们为卫生工作者制定了一个名为REaCH的培训计划。REaCH使卫生工作者能够使用电话和有限的互联网提供可靠和安全的护理。REaCH培训的目的是增加通过电话为长期疾病患者预约的数量。我们想测试这些远程预约是否和面对面预约一样可以接受、安全和值得信赖。我们将在尼日利亚和坦桑尼亚进行试验。在每个国家，我们有20个诊所参与，并在12个月内每月在两个诊所培训8-10名卫生工作者。我们每月收集有关预约类型以及处方和调查数量的信息。每个诊所每月将有20名患者完成问卷调查，内容包括：1）他们认为自己的卫生工作者有多值得信赖; 2）他们对管理自己的健康有多大信心。患者、诊所卫生工作者和管理人员将接受采访。我们将产生a）在REaCH培训后加强整个非洲的卫生保健B）保护卫生工作者和患者免受冠状病毒/COVID-19的影响c）在尼日利亚和坦桑尼亚建立更强大的科研团队。

During the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face healthcare appointments puts Africa's health workers and their patients at risk. Patients are afraid to attend clinics, e.g to collect medicines, and this may harm their health. Remote healthcare, by phone or internet, is advised by the World Health Organisation. Because this is difficult in Africa due to limited digital infrastructure, we have developed a training programme for health workers called REaCH. REaCH enables health workers to deliver trusted and safe care using the phone and limited internet availability. REaCH training aims to increase the number of appointments held by phone for patients with long-term conditions. We want to test whether these remote appointments are as acceptable, safe and trustworthy as face-to-face appointments.We will undertake trials in Nigeria and Tanzania. In each country we involve 20 health clinics and train 8-10 health workers in two clinics every month for 12 months. We collect monthly information on appointment type and the number of prescriptions and investigations given out. Twenty patients in each clinic per month will complete questionnaires on 1) how trustworthy they found their health worker to be and 2) how confident they are in managing their own health. Patients, clinic health workers and managers will be interviewed. We will produce a) Strengthened health care across Africa following REaCH training b) health workers and patients protected from coronavirus/COVID-19 c) stronger scientific research teams in Nigeria and Tanzania.