Mitigating the Risk of COVID-19 Deaths in Cardiovascular Disease Patients in Africa Resource Poor Communities

Okpara, Ihunanya Chinyere; Oghagbon, Efosa Kenneth

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has affected millions of patients in almost all countries with over one million cases recorded in Africa where it is a major health challenge. Covid-19 is known to have significant implications for those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and their cardiologists. Patients with pre-existing CVD are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from Covid-19 due to associated direct and indirect life threatening cardiovascular (CV) complications. Mitigating the risk of such Covid-19 deaths in resource poor communities requires the institution of preventive measures at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of preventive phenomenon with emphasis at the first two levels. General preventive measures, screening and monitoring of CVD patients for complications and modification of drug treatment and other treatment methods will need to be implemented. Health policy makers and manager should provide required training and retraining of CV health care workers managing Covid-19 patients with CVD, provision of health education, personal protective equipment (PPE), and diagnostic kits.