Abstract:
Women and girls in rural areas have often struggled to access essential health services especially sexual and reproductive health services due to their remote location, and social and economic status. These conditions are aggravated by disease outbreaks and pandemics which disrupt the delivery of SRHR with rural areas being among the worst affected. A research to investigate the impact the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic on rural women’s access to SRHR was conducted in the most remote and resource-strained parts of the Chirumhanzu rural district. The research was mainly qualitative and used convenience and purposeful sampling to select 20 respondents who participated in the study. The research also utilized various research tools including focus group discussions, informant interviews, and observation to establish essential information of the impact of COVID-19. Data gathered from the research highlighted that though COVID-19 prompted massive recruitment of much-needed health personnel and also ensured increased procurement of condoms and distribution of condoms in rural areas. A large majority of participants highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the delivery of SRHR affecting the availability, accessibility, and affordability of essential SRHR commodities. Women struggled to access contraceptives, antenatal care, HIV testing and counseling, and, STI testing and treatment. These conditions increased the risk of women getting unwanted pregnancies, gender-based violence, and child marriages.
This information calls for a renewed commitment to redouble efforts towards accelerating the provision of SRHR services in rural areas even in the face of pandemics and health disasters through increased budget allocation by the government towards SRHR. Integration of gender-sensitive policies in the planning of pandemic responses.
