Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Oct;33(Spec Iss 2):117-126.
doi: 10.4314/ejhs.v33i2.5S.

Availability of Maternal, Newborn care and Child Health Services at Primary Health Care Unit during COVID-19 Outbreak in Ethiopia

Berhanu Fikadie Endehabtu  1   2 , Dessie Abebaw Angaw  1 , Tajebew Zayede Gonete  1 , Meskerem Jisso  3 , Netsanet Abera  3 , Akalewold Alemayehu  3 , Rekiku Fikre  3 , Biru Abdissa  4 , Abdurezak Umer  5 , Mesfin Kebede  5 , Hussen Mohammed  5 , Bekele Yazie  5 , Kassahun Dessie  1 , Alemu Tamiso  3 , Habtamu Sime  4 , Elias Ali Yesuf  4 , Kassu Ketema Gurmu  6 , Binyam Tilahun  1   2
Affiliations

Availability of Maternal, Newborn care and Child Health Services at Primary Health Care Unit during COVID-19 Outbreak in Ethiopia

Berhanu Fikadie Endehabtu et al. Ethiop J Health Sci. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a pressure on global health systems. The disruption of essential health services (EHS) has an impact on the health of mothers, neonate and children in developing countries. Therefore, the main aim of this study was assessing the availability of Maternal, Newborn care and Child health (MNCHS) services at primary health care unit during COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five regions of Ethiopia in 2021. Descriptive analyses were undertaken using STATA 16 software and the results presented using tables and different graphs. A continuity of EHS assessment tool adopted from WHO was used for data collection.

Result: During COVID -19 pandemic, 30 (69.8%) of woreda health offices, 52 (56.5%) of health centers (HCs), 7 (44.4%) of hospitals, and 165 (48%) of health posts (HPs) had a defined list of EHS. In comparison with other EHS, family planning is the least available service in all regions. At HPs level care for sick children and antenatal care (ANC) were available at 59.1 and 58.82% respectively. Except immunization services at SNNP, all other maternal, newborn, and child health EHS were not available to all HPs at full scale.

Conclusion: Immunization services were most available, while ANC and care for sick children were least available during COVID-19 at the HPs level. There was regional variation in MNCH EHS service availability at all levels.

Keywords: Availability; Ethiopia; Maternity; child health; essential health service; new born care; region.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Blanchet K, Alwan A, Antoine C, et al. Protecting essential health services in low-income and middle-income countries and humanitarian settings while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ global health. 2020;5(10):e003675. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dadi LS, Berhane M, Ahmed Y, et al. Maternal and newborn health services utilization in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study. BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2019. p. 19. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ameyaw EK, Ahinkorah BO, Seidu A-A, Njue C. Impact of COVID-19 on maternal healthcare in Africa and the way forward. Archives of Public Health. 2021;79:223. - PMC - PubMed
    1. FMoH, author. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ministry of Health; 2020. Health Sector Transformation Plan II: Addis Ababa.
    1. Mwangi A, Nangami M, Tabu J, et al. A system approach to improving maternal and child health care delivery in Kenyan communities and primary care facilities: Baseline survey on maternal health. African Health Sciences. 2019;19(2):1841–1848. - PMC - PubMed