Challenges in Accessing and Delivering Maternal and Child Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Rapid Survey from Six States of India

Saurabh Sharma, Sumit Aggarwal, Ragini Kulkarni, Dinesh Kumar, Bijaya Kumar Mishra, Gaurav Raj Dwivedi, K. Rekha Devi, Raja Sriswan Mamidi, Khangembam Jitenkumar Singh, Lucky Singh, Damodar Sahu, Tulsi Adhikari, Saritha Nair, Anil Kumar, Atul Juneja, Anshita Sharma, Shahina Begum, Suchitra Surve, Ranjan Kumar Prusty, Surendra Kumar, J. J. Babu Geddam, Gargi Meur, Mahesh Kumar Mummadi, Uma Kailash, Subrata Kumar Palo, Srikanta Kanungo, Jaya Singh Kshatri, Ajit Kumar Behera, Swagatika Swain, Rajeev Singh, Kamran Zaman, Hirawati Deval, Ashok Kumar Pandey, Abu Sarkar, Rajni Kant, Kanwar Narain, Luigi D’Aquino, Asheber Gaym, Vivek Virendra Singh and M. Vishnu Vardhana Rao ()
Additional contact information
Saurabh Sharma: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Sumit Aggarwal: Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Ragini Kulkarni: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
Dinesh Kumar: National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur 482003, India
Bijaya Kumar Mishra: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Gaurav Raj Dwivedi: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
K. Rekha Devi: Regional Medical Research Centre, NE Region, Dibrugarh 751023, India
Raja Sriswan Mamidi: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India
Khangembam Jitenkumar Singh: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Lucky Singh: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Damodar Sahu: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Tulsi Adhikari: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Saritha Nair: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Anil Kumar: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Atul Juneja: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Anshita Sharma: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
Shahina Begum: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
Suchitra Surve: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
Ranjan Kumar Prusty: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
Surendra Kumar: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
J. J. Babu Geddam: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India
Gargi Meur: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India
Mahesh Kumar Mummadi: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India
Uma Kailash: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India
Subrata Kumar Palo: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Srikanta Kanungo: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Jaya Singh Kshatri: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Ajit Kumar Behera: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Swagatika Swain: Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 786001, India
Rajeev Singh: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
Kamran Zaman: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
Hirawati Deval: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
Ashok Kumar Pandey: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
Abu Sarkar: Regional Medical Research Centre, NE Region, Dibrugarh 751023, India
Rajni Kant: Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur 273013, India
Kanwar Narain: Regional Medical Research Centre, NE Region, Dibrugarh 751023, India
Luigi D’Aquino: UNICEF, India Country Office, New Delhi 110003, India
Asheber Gaym: UNICEF, India Country Office, New Delhi 110003, India
Vivek Virendra Singh: UNICEF, India Country Office, New Delhi 110003, India
M. Vishnu Vardhana Rao: National Institute of Medical Statistics, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic and its prevention and control policies have impacted maternal and child health (MCH) services. This study documents the challenges faced by patients in accessing MCH services, and the experiences of health care providers in delivering those services during the COVID-19 outbreak, explicitly focusing on the lockdown period in India. Methods: A cross-sectional study (rapid survey) was conducted in 18 districts from 6 states of India during March to June, 2020. The sample size included 540 MCH patients, 18 gynaecologists, 18 paediatricians, 18 district immunisation officers and 108 frontline health workers. Bivariate analysis and multivariable analysis were used to assess the association between sociodemographic characteristics, and challenges faced by the patients. Results: More than one-third of patients (n = 212; 39%) reported that accessing MCH services was a challenge during the lockdown period, with major challenges being transportation-related difficulties (n = 99; 46%) unavailability of hospital-based services (n = 54; 23%) and interrupted outreach health services (n = 39; 18.4%). The supply-side challenges mainly included lack of infrastructural preparedness for outbreak situations, and a shortage of human resources. Conclusions/Recommendations: A holistic approach is required that focuses on both preparedness and response to the outbreak, as well reassignment and reinforcement of health care professionals to continue catering to and maintaining essential MCH services during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; maternal health; child health; childhood immunisation; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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