Minimizing the impact of the triple burden of COVID-19, tuberculosis and HIV on health services in sub-Saharan Africa
International Journal of Infectious Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.038
- PMID
- 33757874
- PMCID
- PMC7980520
- OpenAlex
- W3138392825
- Study type
- Commentary
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The pandemic has strained health systems in sub-Saharan Africa that were already managing dual tuberculosis and HIV epidemics. Insufficient resources and gaps in case detection may contribute to undercounting of COVID-19 burden, complicating response efforts.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This perspective examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected tuberculosis and HIV health services in sub-Saharan Africa and explores strategies to reduce the combined burden of these three overlapping epidemics.
Study design
This is a perspective article that synthesizes modeling studies and limited empirical evidence to discuss the colliding epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa.
Population and setting
The focus is on sub-Saharan African countries, which report disproportionately high shares of global tuberculosis and HIV cases relative to Western nations.
Main findings
Modeling work suggests that pandemic-related interruptions to tuberculosis and HIV services may lead to substantial rises in illness and death over the following five years. Early empirical data indicate that co-infection with SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis, and HIV may be linked to higher mortality risk in the region.
Public-health relevance
The pandemic has strained health systems in sub-Saharan Africa that were already managing dual tuberculosis and HIV epidemics. Insufficient resources and gaps in case detection may contribute to undercounting of COVID-19 burden, complicating response efforts.
Important limitations
Predictive models need stronger evidence to precisely characterize COVID-19's impact on communicable diseases like tuberculosis and HIV as well as on non-communicable comorbidities. Additional research is required to evaluate morbidity and mortality across age groups, geographic variation, and clinical and socioeconomic factors in the context of tuberculosis and HIV co-infection.
GIDS interpretation
This perspective was identified through classifier links to SARS, COVID-19, and tuberculosis disease categories and to transmission dynamics, treatment, and climate/environment topic areas, reflecting its relevance to intersecting infectious disease burdens in resource-limited settings.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 13 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.