Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India

The World Health Organization conducted a multicountry study to identify the challenges and barriers faced by health-care providers (HCPs) in delivering family planning (FP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused on two districts in Maharashtra using qualitative methods, the study revealed s...

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Main Authors: Deepti Tandon, Ranjan Prusty, Rita Kabra, Komal Preet Allagh, Beena Joshi, WHO ICMR NIRRCH FP COVID-19 Study Team
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijph.ijph_1437_23
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author Deepti Tandon
Ranjan Prusty
Rita Kabra
Komal Preet Allagh
Beena Joshi
WHO ICMR NIRRCH FP COVID-19 Study Team
author_facet Deepti Tandon
Ranjan Prusty
Rita Kabra
Komal Preet Allagh
Beena Joshi
WHO ICMR NIRRCH FP COVID-19 Study Team
author_sort Deepti Tandon
collection DOAJ
description The World Health Organization conducted a multicountry study to identify the challenges and barriers faced by health-care providers (HCPs) in delivering family planning (FP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused on two districts in Maharashtra using qualitative methods, the study revealed shift in contraceptive demand toward short-term options due to fear associated with health facility visits. Postpandemic recovery involved restarting sterilization camps and improved contraceptive availability. HCPs faced workplace challenges, hindering FP outreach. Notably, Accredited Social Health Activists played crucial role in delivering supplies and boosting temporary method use. Recommendations include ensuring dedicated workforce readiness, maintaining depot supplies, and promoting accessible methods for future emergencies.
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institution DOAJ
issn 0019-557X
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language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
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series Indian Journal of Public Health
spelling doaj-art-c32f758f704a4b36b6ca8799fac0bf9f2025-08-20T03:06:15ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Public Health0019-557X2229-76932025-01-0169112712910.4103/ijph.ijph_1437_23Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, IndiaDeepti TandonRanjan PrustyRita KabraKomal Preet AllaghBeena JoshiWHO ICMR NIRRCH FP COVID-19 Study TeamThe World Health Organization conducted a multicountry study to identify the challenges and barriers faced by health-care providers (HCPs) in delivering family planning (FP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused on two districts in Maharashtra using qualitative methods, the study revealed shift in contraceptive demand toward short-term options due to fear associated with health facility visits. Postpandemic recovery involved restarting sterilization camps and improved contraceptive availability. HCPs faced workplace challenges, hindering FP outreach. Notably, Accredited Social Health Activists played crucial role in delivering supplies and boosting temporary method use. Recommendations include ensuring dedicated workforce readiness, maintaining depot supplies, and promoting accessible methods for future emergencies.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijph.ijph_1437_23contraceptive service delivery and demandfamily planning response future health emergencyhealth-care workers perspective and family planning services
spellingShingle Deepti Tandon
Ranjan Prusty
Rita Kabra
Komal Preet Allagh
Beena Joshi
WHO ICMR NIRRCH FP COVID-19 Study Team
Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
Indian Journal of Public Health
contraceptive service delivery and demand
family planning response future health emergency
health-care workers perspective and family planning services
title Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
title_full Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
title_fullStr Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
title_full_unstemmed Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
title_short Challenges and Mitigation Strategies in Providing Family Planning Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health-care Providers’ Perspectives from Rural and Urban Public Health Facilities in Maharashtra, India
title_sort challenges and mitigation strategies in providing family planning services during the covid 19 pandemic health care providers perspectives from rural and urban public health facilities in maharashtra india
topic contraceptive service delivery and demand
family planning response future health emergency
health-care workers perspective and family planning services
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijph.ijph_1437_23
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