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Comparative Study
. 2017 Jan 1;111(1):22-29.
doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trx009.

Effect of the 2014/2015 Ebola outbreak on reproductive health services in a rural district of Guinea: an ecological study

Bienvenu S Camara  1 , Alexandre Delamou  1   2 , Ermias Diro  3 , Abdoul H Béavogui  4 , Alison M El Ayadi  5 , Sidikiba Sidibé  1 , Fassou M Grovogui  4 , Kudakwashe C Takarinda  6 , Patrice Bouedouno  4 , Sah D Sandouno  1 , Junko Okumura  7 , Mamadou D Baldé  1 , Johan Van Griensven  8 , Rony Zachariah  9
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Effect of the 2014/2015 Ebola outbreak on reproductive health services in a rural district of Guinea: an ecological study

Bienvenu S Camara et al. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Background: The 2014/2015 Ebola outbreak was the most sustained in history. In Guinea, we compared trends in family planning, antenatal care, and institutional deliveries over the period before, during and after the outbreak.

Methods: We carried out an ecological study involving all the health facilities during pre-Ebola (1 March 2013 to 28 February 2014), intra-Ebola (1 March 2014 to 28 February 2015) and post-Ebola (1 March to 31 July 2016) periods in Macenta district.

Results: Utilization of family planning declined from a monthly average of 531 visits during the pre-Ebola period to 242 visits in the peak month of the Ebola outbreak (51% decline) but recovered in the post-Ebola period. From a monthly average of 2053 visits pre-Ebola, antenatal care visits declined by 41% during Ebola and then recovered to only 63% of the pre-Ebola level (recovery gap of 37%, p<0.001). From a monthly average of 1223 deliveries pre-Ebola, institutional deliveries also declined during Ebola and then recovered to only 66% of the pre-Ebola level (p<0.001).

Conclusions: All services assessed were affected by Ebola. Family planning recovered post-Ebola; however, shortfalls were observed in recovery of antenatal care and institutional deliveries. We call for stronger political will, international support and generous funding to change the current state of affairs.

Keywords: Ebola; Guinea; Health service utilization; Health systems; Operational research; Sustainable Development Goals.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Trend in number of family planning visits by type of family planning method during the pre-Ebola, intra-Ebola and post-Ebola periods, in Macenta district, Guinea (March 2013 to July 2016). FP: Family planning; IUD: Intra uterine device. Data source: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Trend in number of antenatal care visits during the pre-Ebola, intra-Ebola and post-Ebola periods, in Macenta district, Guinea (March 2013 to July 2016). ANC: Antenatal care. Data source: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Trend in number of institutional deliveries (all types) during the pre-Ebola, intra-Ebola and post-Ebola periods, in Macenta district, Guinea (March 2013 to July 2016). Data source: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Trend in number of caesarian sections during the pre-Ebola, intra-Ebola and post-Ebola periods, in Macenta district, Guinea (March 2013 to July 2016). Data source: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
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References

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