1. A Continental Survey on the Impact of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Training in Africa
- Author
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Muhammad Raji Mahmud, Nasser M F El-Ghandour, Samuila Sanoussi, Jebet Beverly Cheserem, Kazadi K.N. Kalangu, Ignatius N. Esene, Aaron Musara, Graham Fieggen, and Mahmood Qureshi
- Subjects
HCWs, Health care workers ,Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Neurosurgery ,CAANS, Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies ,WFNS, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies ,Training (civil) ,Education ,Education, Distance ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Emergency surgery ,COSECSA, College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Pandemic ,Ambulatory Care ,Medicine ,Humans ,Salary ,PPE, Personal protective equipment ,Elective surgery ,COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019 ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,COVID-19 ,Internship and Residency ,Surgical training ,Trainees ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Elective Surgical Procedures ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Family medicine ,Africa ,Income ,Surgery ,Original Article ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,Emergencies ,business ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Background Containment measures for COVID-19 have affected surgical training globally. We sought to assess how neurosurgical training has been affected across Africa in April 2020. Methods A cross-sectional survey was distributed to African Neurosurgical trainees seeking to review demographics and effects of COVID on training. Results A total of 123 neurosurgery trainees responded from 23 African countries and a further 6 were abroad. A total of 91.80% were men, and 96.70% were training in public institutions. Only 41% had received training in COVID-19 with 61.79% worried that they would contract COVID-19 while performing their clinical duties. There was a marked reduction in clinical activities including a median reduction of elective surgery (−80%), clinics (−83%), and emergency surgery (−38.50%). A total of 23.58% of residents did not receive a formal salary, with 50% on less than $1000 USD gross per month. Conclusions This is the first continental survey of neurosurgery trainees in Africa. COVID-19 has significantly affected clinical and learning opportunities. There are concerns of the long-term effects on their training activities for an uncertain period of time during this pandemic. Although there has been a global increase in e-learning, there is need to evaluate if this is accessible to all trainees.
- Published
- 2020