The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the non-communicable disease prevention and control action plan management

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Provincial Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Action Plan management during the fiscal year 2020-2021. Data were collected using a questionnaire between January and April 2022. The health officials responsible for developing and implementing the Provincial Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Action Plan in 76 provinces nationwide except Bangkok were the samples of this study. Descriptive statistics were used in this analysis. The questionnaire response rate was 64.5%. The respondents raised three main limitations that affected the non-communicable disease prevention implementation, including insufficient human resources, budget, and lack of equipment and technology for virtual work adaptation. To adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic, most respondents revised their operation plan midyear by incorporating virtual work and electronic media into their implementation methods. Furthermore, other adaptations were utilized, such as canceling some projects, reducing the size or scope of operations, and integrating resources used with other organizations. Regarding performance, most respondents could only implement some projects and partially achieve the planned goals. This study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the non-communicable disease action plan management in multiple areas, such as human resources, budget, and implementation. Additional in-depth studies on managing non-communicable diseases prevention plans during public health emergencies are required to increase the provincial prevention efficiency during future public health crises and achieve the country’s non-communicable diseases related goals.