Recovering from COVID lockdowns: Routine public sector PHC services in South Africa, 2019-2021
Background. In a previous article on the impact of COVID-19, the authors compared access to routine health services between 2019 and 2020. While differential by province, a number of services provided, as reflected in the District Health Information System (DHIS), were significantly affected by the pandemic. In this article we explore the extent to which […]
Assessing Community Acceptance of Maternal Immunisation in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A Qualitative Investigation
Despite the significant benefits of maternal immunisation, uptake remains low in many parts of the world. In this qualitative study, we aimed to assess the factors that influence pregnant women’s decision to engage with maternal immunisation in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 28 purposively sampled pregnant women and […]
Adolescent girls, a forgotten population in resource-limited settings in the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for sexual and reproductive health outcomes
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health is an essential aspect that may be forgotten in the COVID-19 pandemic. Valuable insights gained from previous humanitarian crises indicate undesirable short and long-term adolescent maternal consequences in low resource settings. Young girls are at a higher risk of dropping out of school and being forced into early child marriages […]
Essential health services delivery in zimbabwe during the covid-19 pandemic: Perspectives and recommendations
Zimbabwe reported its first case of COVID-19 on 20 March 2020, and since then the number has increased to over 4000. To contain the spread of the causative SARS-CoV-2 and prepare the healthcare system, public health interventions, including lockdowns, were imposed on 30 March 2020. These resulted in disruptions in healthcare provision, and movement of […]
Indirect effects of COVID-19 on maternal and child health in South Africa
Background: The unfinished burden of poor maternal and child health contributes to the quadruple burden of disease in South Africa with the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic yet to be fully documented. Objective: To investigate the indirect effects of COVID-19 on maternal and child health in different geographical regions and relative wealth […]
Preparing for Disease X: Ensuring Vaccine Equity for Pregnant Women in Future Pandemics
Disease X represents a yet unknown human pathogen which has potential to cause a serious international epidemic or pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated that despite being at increased risk of severe disease compared with the general population, pregnant women were left behind in the development and implementation of vaccination, resulting in conflicting communications and […]
The effectiveness of a behavioral science and design intervention for family savings on use of maternal health services and male involvement: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background: Lack of financial preparedness for pregnancy can lead to adverse outcomes during childbirth. Behavioral science interventions have been shown to influence savings behavior. Financial savings interventions can be adapted for the purpose of encouraging individuals to save towards maternal healthcare costs. This article describes a protocol to assess the effectiveness of an intervention formulated […]
Global issues in obstetric anaesthesia: perspectives from South Africa, Japan, China, Latin America and North America
South Africa is classified as a low- and middle-income country, with a complex mixture of resource-rich and resource-limited settings. In the major referral hospitals, the necessary skill level exists for the management of complex challenges. However, this contrasts with the frequently-inadequate skill levels of anaesthesia practitioners in resource-limited environments. In Japan, obstetricians administer anaesthesia for […]
Indirect effects of COVID-19 on maternal, neonatal, child, sexual and reproductive health services in Kampala, Uganda
Background COVID-19 impacted global maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes. We hypothesised that the early, strict lockdown that restricted individuals’ movements in Uganda limited access to services. Methods An observational study, using routinely collected data from Electronic Medical Records, was carried out, in Kawempe district, Kampala. An interrupted time series analysis assessed the impact on […]
The COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Maternal Mental Health Differently Depending on Pregnancy Status and Trimester of Gestation
Introduction: We aimed to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health, stratifying on pregnancy status, trimester of gestation, and pandemic period/wave. Methods: Pregnant persons and persons who delivered in Canada during the pandemic, >18 years, were recruited, and data were collected using a web-based strategy. The current analysis includes data on […]
