Research & Evidence
Maintaining Continuity of Essential Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Francophone West Africa
The managers of this study interviewed a cross-sectional team of managers from reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) and vaccination programs across Francophone West Africa. They found that some of the challenges that limited the supply and use of RMNCAH services during the COVID-19 pandemic included a lack of standardized guides, procedures for appropriate care, and diagnostic materials; health workers’ limited knowledge of the new coronavirus disease; the ineffective organization of services; anxieties about COVID-19 among health workers and the general population; and the postponing of mass routine immunization campaigns. This study proposes solutions to these challenges, including better organization of services to respect physical distancing, providing guides and care procedures that have been adapted for COVID-19, enhanced communication, training of health workers, effective use of social media, and the use of information and communication technologies.
Download Article from the African Journal of Reproductive Health