Postnatal care services availability and utilization during the COVID-19 era in sub-Saharan Africa: A rapid review

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira; Enos Moyo; Gashema Pierre; Etienne Mpabuka; Morris Kahere; Nigel Tungwarara; Itai Chitungo; Grant Murewanhema; Godfrey Musuka

doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2022.10.002

Postnatal care services availability and utilization during the COVID-19 era in sub-Saharan Africa: A rapid review

Women Birth. 2023 May;36(3):e295-e299. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2022.10.002. Epub 2022 Oct 11.

Authors

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira¹, Enos Moyo², Gashema Pierre³, Etienne Mpabuka⁴, Morris Kahere⁵, Nigel Tungwarara⁵, Itai Chitungo⁵, Grant Murewanhema⁵, Godfrey Musuka⁶

Affiliations

¹ ICAP at Columbia University, Kigali, Rwanda. Electronic address: td2581@cumc.columbia.edu.
² Oshakati Medical Centre, Oshakati, Namibia.
³ College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
⁴ ICAP at Columbia University, Kigali, Rwanda.
⁵ College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
⁶ ICAP at Columbia University, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Background: Considerable progress has been made globally in improving maternal and newborn babies' health. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed considerable challenges for countries to maintain the provision of high-quality, essential maternal and newborn healthcare services.

Methods: A rapid review was carried out on 20 March 2022 on postnatal care (PNC) services availability and utilization during the COVID-19 era in sub-Saharan Africa. PubMed, Google Scholar, and Africa Journals Online (AJOL) databases were searched for relevant studies. Studies included in the review utilized both primary data and secondary data.

Findings: Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The review revealed that there were significant declines in the availability and utilization of PNC services during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Several reasons were found to contribute to the decline.

Discussion: New, innovative strategies are therefore required to ensure that mothers and their newborn babies receive essential PNC to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Some of the strategies that can be used include home-based PNC visits, the use of telemedicine, phone-based referral networks, social media, and community radios.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Africa South of the Sahara / epidemiology
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Communicable Disease Control
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Pandemics
Postnatal Care*
Pregnancy