When the unexpected pandemic began, what were the experiences of healthcare professionals in the management of COVID-19 in Lesotho?

In Lesotho, the healthcare system was not prepared to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. While PPE availability was a problem throughout the world, for resource-limited countries like Lesotho, the problem was even bigger. Additionally, community transmission became a problem because there was a backlog of tests, delaying the results of COVID-19 tests.

This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of HCPs on the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lesotho. An explorative descriptive qualitative design was used to collect data from healthcare professionals who were purposively sampled from five health facilities and took part in focus group discussions. Written informed consent was sought from the participants who voluntarily took part in the study. They were allowed to ask questions and could withdraw from the study without any repercussions. Constant comparison analysis was used to analyse data and was presented using themes, subthemes, and categories.

COVID-19 caused unpleasant emotional effects among healthcare professionals as they feared becoming infected and were faced with stigma and discrimination in their own families. They had limited protection from COVID-19 as there was inadequate personal protective equipment, and they could not effectively separate patients who came to the facilities. The support they received varied and was not adequate to address their needs during the pandemic. They lacked information about the pandemic, did not receive any psychological support, and they felt that more assistance could have helped them better manage the pandemic.

It remains crucial for healthcare professionals to be empowered with the correct and accurate information, personal protective equipment, and psychological support when faced with pandemics like COVID-19.