Ethical issues in the COVID-19 pandemic control preparedness in a developing economy

Abstract

Adequate preparation for highly pathogenic infectious disease pandemic can reduce the incidence, prevalence and burden of diseases like COVID-19 pandemic. An antidote to the spread of the disease is adequate preparation for its control since there is no proven curative measure yet. Effective management of identified cases, social distancing, contact tracing and provision of basic infrastructure to facilitate compliance with preventive measures, testing are proven management strategies. Although these measures seem to be the best options presently, it is important to pay attention to ethical issues arising from the implementation process to ensure best practice. While disease epidemic is not alien to human societies, lessons from previous outbreaks are vital for addressing future outbreaks. For effective control of this pandemic, there should be a clear definition of social distancing in terms of distance and space in line with the WHO definition, adequate provision of basic amenities, screening and testing with specific criteria for selecting those to be screened. Also, there should be a free testing procedure, access to treatment opportunities for those who test positive, ethical free contact tracing practice, respect for the autonomy of those to be tested, and global best practice of open science, open data and data sharing practices. In conclusion, a framework/guideline for epidemic/pandemic ethics guidance should be developed while an ethical sensitive communication manual should be prepared for public engagement on epidemic and pandemic.