What is the Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on the RCH (Reproductive and Child Health) Programme in Rajasthan, because of nationwide lockdown (April 2020 to June 2020)?

Abstract

Background: The proper, timely, adequate delivery of effective and high quality child health and reproductive (RCH) services is of greatest significance and utmost priority mainly because of situations erupting from the current ongoing pandemic of covid-19 as well as other cofactors in the state of Rajasthan, India. This significance and priority is particularly due to many factors such as huge as well as increasing population with limited qualified, skilled human resources Objective of study: The key objective is to find out the effects of SARS-CoV-2/ Covid-19 pandemic on the Reproductive and Child Health Programme of Rajasthan in India over the 3 months after Lock down enforcement nationwide in March 2020. Settings and Design: Different indicators of RCH programme i.e. immunisation, maternal and child health, family planning) for Rajasthan were observed, studied, collected and compared with previous year 2019for the period of April/May/June -2019 and 2020. The percent increase and downfall is observed, calculated, presented, from the available data to find out the status of delivery of essential RCH health services. The need assessed, percent of achievement of assessed need is also compared, and future achievement projected as per achievement. Materials and Methodology: To know the effect of pandemic era on RCH health programme of Rajasthan during the period from3 months after lock-down announced in the month of March 2020 i.e. April/May/June 2020 in Rajasthan the data observed, calculated and obtained from HMIS (Health Management Information System- of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India for RC Health programme, (Reproductive and Child Health). Result: The results of data analysis for RCH services, functioning in the state of Rajasthan during the month during the period from April to June 2020 (during the period from lockdown) as compared to 2019(no lockdown, for same duration suggest that the immunisation services were badly affected during the period from the lockdown period in 2020. It is possible that new-born children and the older ones have not received/delivered proper immunisation services during the period from the lockdown as evident from the data observation-analysis. Conclusion: India and different states have launched several plans and strategies to deal with covid-19 pandemic. However, this study report found that insufficient attention has been given to very essential services of RCH in Rajasthan as evident from the results of this study. The problems in the delivery of healthcare services should be dealt with properly, timely, adequately added with a proper update of the latest dynamic plan to carry on essential health delivery services even in pandemics and other situations of emergencies. Rajasthan should develop an exclusive updated latest dynamic plan to deal with situations to guarantee delivery of very essential services such as RCH during the period from pandemics or any other natural calamities-emergencies. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has disclosed the vulnerability of women and children and at the same time teaches us about the importance of equity in healthcare. The children and women who are considered most vulnerable in emergencies and distress must have special supportive healthcare all the time especially during the period from pandemics-emergencies and other natural disasters.