Healthcare access for children in a low-income area in Cape Town: A mixed-methods case study.

Background: In Cape Town, the under-5 mortality rate has plateaued to 20 per 1000 live births, with 60% of child deaths occurring out of hospital. The southern subdistrict has the largest paediatric population in Metro West and accounts for 31% of deaths. This study aimed to uncover the access barriers and facilitators underlying this high burden of out-of-hospital deaths.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during resurgence driven by Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the clinical severity of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 infection with BA.

Erratum: The contribution of family physicians in coordinating care and improving access at district hospitals: The False Bay experience, South Africa.

No abstract available.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during resurgence driven by Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objective: We aimed to compare clinical severity of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 infection with BA.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: The objective was to compare COVID-19 outcomes in the Omicron-driven fourth wave with prior waves in the Western Cape, assess the contribution of undiagnosed prior infection to differences in outcomes in a context of high seroprevalence due to prior infection and determine whether protection against severe disease conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination was maintained.

Methods: In this cohort study, we included public sector patients aged ≥20 years with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis between 14 November and 11 December 2021 (wave four) and equivalent prior wave periods. We compared the risk between waves of the following outcomes using Cox regression: death, severe hospitalisation or death and any hospitalisation or death (all ≤14 days after diagnosis) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, geography, vaccination and prior infection.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: We aimed to compare COVID-19 outcomes in the Omicron-driven fourth wave with prior waves in the Western Cape, the contribution of undiagnosed prior infection to differences in outcomes in a context of high seroprevalence due to prior infection, and whether protection against severe disease conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination was maintained.

Methods: In this cohort study, we included public sector patients aged ≥20 years with a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis between 14 November-11 December 2021 (wave four) and equivalent prior wave periods. We compared the risk between waves of the following outcomes using Cox regression: death, severe hospitalization or death and any hospitalization or death (all ≤14 days after diagnosis) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, geography, vaccination and prior infection.

The contribution of family physicians in coordinating care and improving access at district hospitals: The False Bay experience, South Africa.

This short report describes three family physicians (FP)-led clinical governance interventions to strengthen the care access and coordination in an urban district hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The actual experiences and their effects on health services are captured here. The report also describes a range of interventions from enhanced access to timely computer tomographic scans to determine definitive care, to creating a local referral forum between levels of care, which resulted in a renewed appreciation for the scope of services and illness burden managed by the district health system and to the establishment of an onsite echocardiology service at the local district hospital to enhance the identified burden of disease of the local community.

Evaluation of patient characteristics, management and outcomes for COVID-19 at district hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa: descriptive observational study.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics, clinical management and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 at district hospitals.

Design: A descriptive observational cross-sectional study.

Setting: District hospitals (4 in metro and 4 in rural health services) in the Western Cape, South Africa.