COVID-19 underscores the important role of Clinical Ethics Committees in Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified pre-existing challenges in healthcare in Africa. Long-standing health inequities, embedded in the continent over centuries, have been laid bare and have raised complex ethical dilemmas. While there are very few clinical ethics committees (CECs) in Africa, the demand for such services exists and has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The views of African healthcare professionals or bioethicists on the role of CECs in Africa have not been explored or documented previously. In this study, we aim to explore such perspectives, as well as the challenges preventing the establishment of CECs in Africa.

Methods

Twenty healthcare professionals and bioethicists from Africa participated in this qualitative study that utilized in-depth

SUBMITTER: Moodley K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8465788 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature