Health systems'resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A South African polio surveillance case study.

Background: More needs to be known on how the South African health system contained the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and maintained the core business of health service delivery. We describe the practices that have shown to affect the health systems' resilience in ensuring maintenance of polio surveillance and immunization systems in South Africa (SA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This is a descriptive, reflective desk review study using the South African polio surveillance systems and immunization coverage as a case study.

Use of Epidemiology Surge Support to Enhance Robustness and Expand Capacity of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Response, South Africa.

As COVID-19 cases increased during the first weeks of the pandemic in South Africa, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases requested assistance with epidemiologic and surveillance expertise from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention South Africa. By leveraging its existing relationship with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases for >2 months, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention South Africa supported data capture and file organization, data quality reviews, data analytics, laboratory strengthening, and the development and review of COVID-19 guidance This case study provides an account of the resources and the technical, logistical, and organizational capacity leveraged to support a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.

Benefits of health reform for households in rural South Africa following implementation of ward-based primary healthcare outreach teams: a qualitative inquiry.

Background: Major national primary healthcare reforms are seldom implemented, and few studies have explored the benefits of primary healthcare outreach teams to rural households, a knowledge gap we sought to address with this study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the community benefits in the context of PHC services delivered in rural households by outreach teams.

Methods: The study was conducted in the iLembe District on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between July 2015 and January 2017.

The perceived role of ward-based primary healthcare outreach teams in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Background: The aim of ward-based outreach teams (WBOTs) is to improve access to primary healthcare (PHC) services including health promotion and disease prevention in South Africa. Limited information is available in South Africa on user perceptions of services provided by WBOTs in rural households.

Aim: The study aimed to explore community awareness and perception of WBOTs, as well people's motivation to engage and use WBOT services.

Evaluating the acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in South Africa, 2005-2009--an analysis of secondary data.

Introduction: Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance was adopted by World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor progress towards poliomyelitis eradication. South Africa Department of Health (DoH) routinely collects AFP surveillance data but has no documented evidence of its epidemiological use. The study discusses the epidemiology of AFP in South Africa from 2005-9, evaluates performance of the AFP surveillance system, and identifies components that require strengthening.