Assessing ventilation through ambient carbon dioxide concentrations across multiple healthcare levels in Ghana

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures safeguard primary healthcare systems, especially as the infectious disease landscape evolves due to climate and environmental change, increased global mobility, and vaccine hesitancy and inequity, which can introduce unexpected pathogens. This study ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLOS global public health 2024, Vol.4 (8), p.e0003287
Main Authors: Crews, Cecilia, Angwaawie, Paul, Abdul-Mumin, Alhassan, Yabasin, Iddrisu Baba, Attivor, Evans, Dibato, John, Coffee, Megan P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Medicine and Health Sciences
People and Places
Physical Sciences
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Summary:Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures safeguard primary healthcare systems, especially as the infectious disease landscape evolves due to climate and environmental change, increased global mobility, and vaccine hesitancy and inequity, which can introduce unexpected pathogens. This study explores the importance of an "always-on," low-cost IPC approach, focusing on the role of natural ventilation in health facilities, particularly in low-resource settings. Ambient carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are increasingly used as a measure of ventilation effectiveness allowing for spot checks and targeted ventilation improvements. Data were collected through purposive sampling in Northern Ghana over a three-month period. Levels of CO2 ppm (parts per million) were measured by a handheld device in various healthcare settings, including Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) facilities, municipal and teaching hospitals, and community settings to assess ventilation effectiveness. Analyses compared CO2 readings in community and hospital settings as well as in those settings with and without natural ventilation. A total of 40 facilities were evaluated in this study; 90% were healthcare facilities and 75% had natural ventilation (with an open window, door or wall). Facilities that relied on natural ventilation were mostly community health centers (60% vs 0%) and more commonly had patients present (83% vs 40%) compared with facilities without natural ventilation. Facilities with natural ventilation had significantly lower CO2 concentrations (CO2 ppm: 663 vs 1378, p = 0.0043) and were more likely to meet international thresholds of CO2 < 800 ppm (87% vs 10%, p =
ISSN:2767-3375
2767-3375
DOI:10.1371/journal.pgph.0003287