IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED DISEASE (COMMUNICABLE & NON-COMMUNICABLE) SCREENING SERVICES IN FIVE HIGH-VOLUME HEALTH FACILITIES IN RIVERS STATE

Introduction: Common communicable diseases make the double burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa an issue of public health interest, especially in the possibility of their existence as co-morbidities. Access to testing services is an essential first step in the care cascade to improving health outcomes while screening seamlessly, stigma-free and contemporaneously at initial clinical encounters. This study aims to show the implementation of integrated disease (communicable and non-communicable) screening services at selected high-volume health facilities in Rivers State. Methods: Implementation science (cross-sectional descriptive) research that considered novel evidence-based strategies to promote the integrated disease screening services in five selected high-volume facilities in Rivers State from 1st January 2022 to 30th June 2022. An integrated Risk Stratification Tool (iRST) for COVID-19, HIV, and Tuberculosis was used as well as screening for hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Result: Clinic attendance for six months was 35,130. Patients who had blood pressure, blood glucose and BMI checks were 30,836, 21,791, and 10,461 respectively. The number of patients comments tested with confirmed elevated values was 5057 (16.4%) for blood pressure; 2033 (9.3%) for blood sugar, and 210 (2%) patients with abnormal BMI. About 1.1%, 1.7% and 1.2 % were newly diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, respectively. Thirty-six patients had co-infections from COVID, HIV, and TB. Of those eligible for vaccination, 19,859(53.7%) got vaccinated. Conclusion: Simultaneously testing for common diseases (communicable and communicable) was achievable in clinical settings. It can aid the early diagnosis of diseases and, consequently, lead to early treatment interventions, especially in co-infected patients. This can produce better health outcomes, reduce the disease burden, and engender system resilience.