Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
BMJ Glob Health. 2020 July 20; Volume 5 (Issue 7); e003175.; DOI:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003175
Kumar M, Daly M, de Plecker E, Jamet C, McRae M, et al.
BMJ Glob Health. 2020 July 20; Volume 5 (Issue 7); e003175.; DOI:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003175
SUMMARY BOX
• The COVID-19 pandemic has begun to severely limit access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception and safe abortion care (SAC), which have historically not been regarded as essential health services.
• Shutdown or delays of contraception and SAC during COVID-19 will disproportionately impact the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls in low-income and middle-income countries, and lead to considerable and preventable death and lifelong disability.
• Médecins Sans Frontières calls on the global health community to strengthen access to contraception and SAC for populations everywhere, and especially in poor and crisis settings, by engaging with women and their communities to develop self-managed models of care.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has begun to severely limit access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception and safe abortion care (SAC), which have historically not been regarded as essential health services.
• Shutdown or delays of contraception and SAC during COVID-19 will disproportionately impact the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls in low-income and middle-income countries, and lead to considerable and preventable death and lifelong disability.
• Médecins Sans Frontières calls on the global health community to strengthen access to contraception and SAC for populations everywhere, and especially in poor and crisis settings, by engaging with women and their communities to develop self-managed models of care.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2017 March 18; Volume 111 (Issue 1); 22-29.; DOI:10.1093/trstmh/trx009
Camara BS, Delamou A, Diro EGJ, Beavogui A, El Ayadi AM, et al.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2017 March 18; Volume 111 (Issue 1); 22-29.; DOI:10.1093/trstmh/trx009
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.
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.
Journal Article > ResearchAbstract Only
OMICS. 2014 October 21; Volume 18 (Issue 11); 696-704.; DOI:10.1089/omi.2014.0080
Ahmed AO, Mohamed AO, Guled IA, Elamin HM, Abou-Zeid AH
OMICS. 2014 October 21; Volume 18 (Issue 11); 696-704.; DOI:10.1089/omi.2014.0080
An emerging dimension of 21(st) century integrative biology is knowledge translation in global health. The maternal mortality rate in Somalia is amongst the highest in the world. We set out to study the "know-do" gap in family planning measures in Somalia, with a view to inform future interventions for knowledge integration between theory and practice. We interviewed 360 Somali females of reproductive age and compared university-educated females to women with less or no education, using structured interviews, with a validated questionnaire. The mean age of marriage was 18 years, with 4.5 pregnancies per marriage. The mean for the desired family size was 9.3 and 10.5 children for the university-educated group and the less-educated group, respectively. Importantly, nearly 90% of the university-educated group knew about family planning, compared to 45.6% of the less-educated group. All of the less-educated group indicated that they would never use contraceptives, as compared to 43.5% of the university-educated group. Prevalence of contraceptive use among ever-married women was 4.3%. In the less-educated group, 80.6% indicated that they would not recommend contraceptives to other women as compared to 66.0% of the university-educated group. There is a huge gap between knowledge and practice regarding family planning in Somalia. The attendant reasons for this gap, such as level of education, expressed personal religious beliefs and others, are examined here. For primary health care to gain traction in Africa, we need to address the existing "know-do" gaps that are endemic and adversely impacting on global health. This is the first independent research study examining the knowledge gaps for family planning in Somalia in the last 20 years, with a view to understanding knowledge integration in a global world. The results shall guide policy makers, donors, and implementers to develop a sound family planning policy and program to improve maternal and child health in 21(st) century primary healthcare.