Hospital Pharmacy - April 2020 - 102

817472
research-article2018

HPXXXX10.1177/0018578718817472Hospital PharmacyAli et al

Original Article

Awareness About Ebola Virus Disease
Among the Health Care Professionals
in Karachi, Pakistan

Hospital Pharmacy
2020, Vol. 55(2) 102-107
© The Author(s) 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1177/0018578718817472
DOI: 10.1177/0018578718817472
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Kashif Ali1, Syed Omair Adil2, Subhana Akber1, Shakir Khan1,
Nand Lal1, Zubeda Bhutto1, and Shehzada Abdullah2

Abstract
Background: Ebola virus disease is an acute and life-threatening illness, which, if untreated, is fatal. It was first discovered
in 1976, which aware the world with sporadic outbreaks of Ebola in some parts of Africa. According to Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the natural reservoir for Ebola virus remains unknown; however, it is yet to be affirmed that
the natural habitat is animal-borne where bats are most likely to carry over this virus. Therefore, the aim of this study was
to estimate awareness of health care professionals as they serve as the integral part of our health care system. Methods: A
cross-sectional survey was conducted among 149 health care workers (HCWs) in Civil Hospital of Karachi from June 2015
to August 2015. The study participants were randomly selected individuals who were students of and/or were working in the
university's affiliated tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Results: Baseline characteristics of the study participants are
shown in Table 1. Median age of the participants is 21 (range: 17-24) years. Female preponderance was found to be higher
(104; 69.8%) as compared with the males (45; 30.2%). Discipline of majority of the study participants was medical technology
(80; 53.7%), followed by nurses (38; 25.5%) and doctors (31; 20.8%). Majority of the study respondents were undergraduate
medical students (60; 75%) as compared with medical technologist and the nurses (17; 24.6%) with a P value < .001 as
shown in Figure 1. The mean for correct responses was 8.43 ± 4.08 (range: 3-17). Appropriate knowledge was observed
in 84 (56.4%) responders and inappropriate knowledge was observed in 65 (43.6%) of the study respondents. Conclusion:
Our study concludes that there is an unsatisfactory knowledge about Ebola virus disease among health care professionals.
Moreover, public health authorities should signify the importance of prevention against Ebola virus disease not only among
the health care professionals but also into the communities through mass media and awareness campaigns which can thus
halt the panic and incidence of Ebola virus outbreaks in coming decades.
Keywords
Ebola, awareness, health care professionals, Karachi

Introduction
Ebola viral disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EVH), is a life-threatening condition with
reported morality rate of 90% in untreated patients.1,2 Ebola
with a viral manifestation is divided into 5 species, and 4
species are fatal to humans, if untreated.3 The virus is categorized among the zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans, and then human-to-human
transmission of Ebola virus can escalate in the population. It
mainly spreads through direct contact with infected body fluids and tissues of the infected animal.4 A high, bloody fever
is a major reported symptom in Ebola-affected patients while
clinical signs include coagulation defects, capillary leak syndrome, and shock.5 The first Ebola case was reported in 1976
in 2 concurrent epidemics in Sudan and Democratic Republic

of Congo. The recent epidemic was observed in Guinea in
West Africa, in 2013, which is known as the biggest and
more complicated EVD epidemic since the Ebola virus has
been identified earlier.1-4
Until recently, many studies have been published to determine the awareness and education need about Ebola virus disease (EVD) all over the globe.6,7 These researches have
regarded awareness as a major preventive population-based
approach for the local communities and population, travelers,
1

Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
NHS- Furness General Hospital Dalton Lane, Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria, UK

2

Corresponding Author:
Syed Omair Adil, Research Associate, Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Email: s.omair.adil@gmail.com
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Hospital Pharmacy - April 2020

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