ABSTRACT
Background: The delivery of reproductive and child health
services is of utmost importance and prime concern in India particularly
because of huge population with limited resources, poor infrastructure
and huge demand on healthcare system. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had
presented a challenge even for developed healthcare systems around the
world. Objectives: The main aim of this research is to find out
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the Reproductive and Child Health
Programme in India over the 3 months after Lock down imposition
countrywide in March 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic. Settings &
Design: Different indicators group of RCH programme 2020 (immunisation,
maternal & child health, family planning) for India were collected from
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and compared
from previous year 2019 data for the period of three
months(April/May/June) and presented in tables and graphs to understand
the situation. Materials & Methodology: Secondary data from
HMIS of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India for 3
month of April, May, June 2019 & 2020 were taken for analysing and
understanding the impact of pandemic on RCH programme over 3 months
after nationwide lock down announced in march 2020 viz. April/May/June
2020. The data obtained is analysed by using Microsoft Office software.Result: The analysis of secondary data obtained from HMIS of
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare website (Provisional figure &
mentioned free for distribution) for RCH programme of India shows that
the lock down period & initial early phase of SARS-CoV-2 during above
mentioned 3 months pandemic have a negative impact over the delivery of
Reproductive & Child Health services reflected through important
indicators of which are also affected negatively. Besides the
pandemic the Nation is also having lack of resources, manpower poor
infrastructure as well as lack of positive deviance at community level.
These are the barriers in fact beside the epidemic. It seems that there
is lack of proper plan to deal with such pandemic situation.Conclusion: India has taken various strategies to ensure
delivery of RCH services but it seems to be insufficient to give the
desired results. The barriers of healthcare system and delivery of
services constraints should be rectified added with a proper dynamic
plan to carry on usual RCH services even in pandemics and natural
disasters. India needs to develop an exclusive plan to tackle such
situations such as establishment of separate cadre of health worker for
RCH services to ensure the healthcare of women and children’s in any
natural disasters and calamities.