Organization of the CO VID-19 response in Cape Verde - The role of the National Institute of Public Health of Cape Verde

• Autor(a) principal: Lima Mendonça, Maria da Luz
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Gozzelino, Raffaella
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.25761/anaisihmt.442

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems and economies world- wide. In countries with fragile healthcare systems, like Cape Verde, it is worth to highlight the resilience of the population and local authorities in response to this unprecedented reality. The implementation of rigorous public health measures, since the beginning of the pandemic, played a key role. Material and methods: This article is based on a comprehensive analysis of the pandemic situation in Cape Verde and relies on official reports released by the National Institute of Public Health (INSP). In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, those documents allowed the creation of a database, aimed at collecting the epidemiological information obtained by local hos- pitals and health centers, at national level. The challenges, constraints, and learnt lessons were described in a narrative form. Objective: This article aims to analyze the evolution of COVID-19 in Cape Verde from 2020 to 2022 and relate the leadership assumed by the INSP of Cape Verde in managing the pandemic. Results: The pandemic in Cape Verde caused significant challenges to the public health, despite the adoption of mitigation strategies. The INSP played a key role in dealing with the health crisis caused by COVID-19, despite the difficulties caused by socioeconomic losses that also influenced the implementation of prevention, diagnosis, and disease treatment actions. Conclusions: The contribution of the INSP to the development and execution of technical guidelines, coordination and training of a specialized team of healthcare professionals was crucial. The INSP enabled Cape Verde to overcome the clinical complications caused by the virus, seeking solutions capable to limit the impact of COVID-19 on public health.