COVID-19 survivors with Post Intensive Care Syndrome: Key rehabilitation
strategies for Africa
Abstract
The emergence of coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) has presented a global
health threat. The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in
Africa; this poses a challenge to the African healthcare system,
particularly the intensive care unit (ICU). More so, individuals with
severe COVID-19 would often have a prolonged intensive care stay,
requiring mechanical ventilation and sedation and this may increase
their risk of developing physical, cognitive and psychosocial
impairments. These post-ICU sequelae of morbidities have been termed
Post Intensive Care Syndrome. The African healthcare system needs to be
prepared to manage the adverse effects of Post Intensive Care Syndrome
(PICS) largely characterized by a decline in functional capacity and
health-related quality of life. It is thus expedient that multi-targeted
measures such as early rehabilitation, adequate screening,
patient/caregiver education and post-discharge rehabilitation be adopted
to combat imminent poor health outcomes in COVID-19 survivors. In this
editorial, we provided a brief review of PICS and highlighted strategies
for preventing and managing PICS in the critically ill within the
African context Key words: Pandemic, COVID-19 Survivors, African
healthcare, Intensive Care Unit, Rehabilitation