Compliance with World Health Organization's COVID‐19 guidelines among Iraqi health workers

Abstract

AbstractDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced guidelines with respect to hygiene practices, quarantine policies, and medical practices for health institutions to follow. Most studies examining compliance with WHO guidelines have been conducted at individual level but not at institutional level. This study investigates the availability of resources of health institutions in Iraq and their compliance with WHO COVID‐19 guidelines. A total of 234 health workers, including physicians, nurses and medical technicians, were recruited in Babylon, Iraq. Self‐reported number of health workers available in the health centre and the levels of compliance with the WHO's guidelines were assessed. Implementation of preventive measures for infected persons, fogging procedures, and having a crisis management team in the health centre were the top three common practices as recommended by WHO. There was a weak but significant positive relationship between the number of health workers in the healthcare centre and the levels of compliance with the WHO's COVID‐19 guidelines (ρ = 0.243, p < 0.05), indicating that manpower may determine the implementation of these guidelines. There is a correlation between the quantity of health workers and the levels of compliance with the WHO's COVID‐19 guidelines, showing that it is important to ensure sufficient human resources available in the health centre to implement the standard practices. In addition, more financial resources are needed to provide sufficient protective equipment and disposable supplies to health workers in Iraq.