Maintaining care delivery for non-communicable diseases in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in western Kenya

Kamano, Jemima; Naanyu, Violet; Ayah, Richard; Limo, Obed; Gathecha, Gladwell; Saenyi, Eugene; Jefwa, Pendo; Too, Kenneth; Manji, Imran; Gala, Pooja; Vedanthan, Rajesh

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted health systems worldwide, gravely threatening continuity of care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in low-resource settings. We describe our efforts to maintain the continuity of care for patients with NCDs in rural western Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a five-component approach: 1) Protect: protect staff and patients; 2) Preserve: ensure medication availability and clinical services; 3) Promote: conduct health education and screenings for NCDs and COVID-19; 4) Process: collect process indicators and implement iterative quality improvement; and 5) Plan: plan for the future and ensure financial risk protection in the face of a potentially overwhelming health and economic catastrophe. As the pandemic continues to evolve, we must continue to pursue new avenues for improvement and expansion. We anticipate continuing to learn from the evolving local context and our global partners as we proceed with our efforts.