Disruption in Essential Health Service Delivery: A Qualitative Study on Access to Family Planning Information and Service Utilization During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda

Abstract

Results showed that the pandemic had immediate and significant long-term effects on family planning service accessibility, utilization and delivery. The study recommends implementation of telehealth services, country-wide sensitization on use of long-term contraceptive methods, empowering village health teams and making family planning services mandatory and free to all private facilities in order to lower any disruptions during pandemics.