Assessment of Covid-19 Management by Healthcare Providers in Busia County Referral Hospital, Busia County, Kenya

Purpose: The main objective was to assess COVID-19 management by healthcare providers in Busia County Referral Hospital, Busia County, Kenya by November 2021. 
Materials and Methods: A sample size of 153 was considered to give the data from the different clustered cadres The data collection tools included a facility readiness assessment for COVID-19 observation checklist adopted from the World Health Organization, an Interview structured questionnaire, and a key informant guide for managers of every key cadre. Both qualitative and quantitative data collected were cleaned, coded, sorted, and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21. The data collected was presented in frequencies, pie charts, graphs, proportions, and tables. The associations of variables were tested using the Chi-square test, bivariate and multivariate. An association was considered significant when the p-value is less than 0.05 (p<0.05) with a confidence interval of 95% (CI 95). 
Findings: The study revealed a shorter duration of experience 1 to 3 years and a shorter training session 1 to 2 days had higher odds of 2.3 and 2.1 (p = 0.03) and p=0.04) respectively to report correct practice in the management of COVID-19, and was statistically significant. Furthermore, knowledge of five moments of hand hygiene (p=0.007), and audit (p=0.004) were statistically significant to report correct practice in the management of the pandemic. In addition, the availability of gloves, face masks, thermogun, screening checklist, and the designated focal person at triage reported higher odds >2.5 with p>0.05 to facilitate correct practice in the management of COVID-19. Respondents who reported the existence of an infection prevention and control committee had 5.2 odds with p=0.03 to adhere to correct practice in pandemic management. 
Unique contribution to theory, practice, and policy: The study revealed that updated policy documents, knowledge, skills, and Health Products and Technologies on the management of COVID-19 were paramount in the fight against the pandemic. 
Keywords: SARSCOV2; COVID-19; Hand hygiene; Personal Protective Equipment