Midália Uamba 1, Milton Sengo 1 Sérgio Mahumane 1, Celso Monjane 1, Victor Mavie ¹, Kelsey Zack 2, Hannah Marker 2, Malick Kante 2, Agbessi Amouzou ²

¹National Institute of Health.

²Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Introduction: Contrary to initial warnings, countries in sub-Saharan Africa appear to have been less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than high-income countries. In response, the health workforce and service delivery have been reorganized to isolate and manage cases with indirect effects on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services and nutrition service coverage in countries where the health system is fragile and vulnerable. The study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health services and coverage of nutrition services.

Methodology: A qualitative study was carried out with Key Informants from different categories covered by the National Program for Mortality Surveillance for Action (COMSA / SISCOVE). The interviews were conducted in two phases, on December 18 and 24, 2022, and January 22 and 27, 2023.

Findings: In total, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted, with 3 health focal points and 22 professionals in health units and rural hospitals. Respondents reported changes in professional responsibilities. There was no direct interruption of reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health services and coverage of reported Nutrition services, but in the demand for services by patients.

Conclusion: It was concluded that there was a slight decrease in the demand for services compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to strengthen human resources to meet the demand for services and to strengthen community-based interventions to support behavior change related to reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition service coverage.

Keywords: Covid 19 pandemic, Health services.