EMeWA representing and leading in the time of COVID

COVID 19 has been a huge strain in the healthcare system worldwide. Not only in the sense of having limited facilities and resources to treat the vast number of patients is a daunting task, but also the fact that we’re learning new things every day makes the fight challenging. A pandemic is no easy challenge; it requires a constant adaptation and changing of guideline and approaches to fit the context of our environment and respond effectively. The ministry of health has done an applaudable job at tackling this challenge. One of the important things done so far is to involve professional associations in the country and partners from abroad in serving as advisory teams. EMeWA is currently involved and represented by members of its executive committee in the COVID 19 Clinical Case Management and Facility Readiness team.

The team is working to make sure the guidelines that are currently available are adapted to our particular context in term of it focus ranging from clinical management to PPEs. It focuses that both patients and also, the healthcare workers, can make it through this difficult time as safely as possible. Further the team is involved in editing the second version of the COVID 19 Management Guideline that the MOH is going to be releasing soon by incorporating the new evidences from recent researches. One-page guide for Lab Testing, Management of Critically and Non-critically Ill COVID 19 patients and triaging is also being developed, which will be available both on the EMA and EMeWA website soon. This is in order to help clinicians make in making quick decisions without having to read the whole guideline in times of rush. Upon the demand of the MOH, the advisory team also revised the clinical management part of their training manual. The revision included list of essential medicines and made assessment of the PPE needs in some facilities.

Also, the COVID 19 Central, a peer screened comprehensive information repository is launched on EMA website on June 19 2020. Two of EMeWA EC members will be serving as a peer reviewer as part of the team’s effort to bring reliable and up to date data to clinicians

EMeWA is honored to have been able to contribute in a meaningful way in tackling the pandemic, and will keep on doing all the work necessary so our physicians are properly armed for the combat and our country can make it through this difficult time with as little casualty as possible

Stay safe!

Dr. Kalkidan Alachew

Secretary, EMeWA