Page 71 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Access to sexual and reproductive health services

involving the private sector like PPMVs in family planning to dangerous health practices, such as self-medication
service delivery in Lagos and Kaduna states), which found and care, unprotected sexual intercourse, use of cloths
that family planning clients in Lagos and Kaduna states and tissue paper as substitute for sanitary pads, and
were minimally affected by COVID-19 pandemic as unsafe abortion. This will likely increase the cases of HIV/
PPMVs continued to serve as a source of family planning. AIDS and other STDs, pre/post-natal complications, and
However, their study was not based in rural areas and maternal mortality in the population.
was conducted online with quantitative data as the major
source of their analysis. It therefore lacked on-the-ground 4.1. Policy implications
assessment of the realities in the rural areas. However, our Based on the findings of this research, we advocate
finding corroborates that of Cone & Lamarche (2021), who that in pandemic of this nature, government and non-
found that in Mali, many people in the rural areas did not governmental organizations should double their efforts
feel comfortable seeking care from hospitals or other health in ensuring that SRH services are available and accessible,
facilities due to fear that they could be infected there. This especially in the rural areas. This is crucial as limited
fear significantly reduced peoples’ intention to seek SRH access to SHR could lead to unhealthy practices such as
care. It could therefore further aggravate SRH crisis in unsafe abortion without postpartum care and increased
the rural areas as not many rural dwellers are proficient at rate of STDs, among others. In addition, massive
telemedicine/or online drug ordering. Even those who may reorientation and sensitization should be carried out
attempt to do so (ordering drugs online) will be frowned especially at the rural areas to help the population there
upon by the ban on interstate movement and restriction on understand that medical establishments are not conduits
human and vehicular movement, which affected the online for viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19) so
service providers and their delivery agents. long as established COVID-19 protocols are observed.
This is highly recommended necessary as we found
Furthermore, findings showed that COVID-19 indirectly that COVID-19 pandemic aggravates the feelings of
impacted the number of unintended pregnancies as couples nosocomephobia (i.e., fear of hospitals) among the people.
and partners have more time for sexual intercourse due to To achieve the sustainable development goals related to
the lockdown. Restrictions and staying at home reduced better health and well-being of the population, the uptake
the access and availability of SRH services, adversely of SRH services should be increased continuously.
affecting family planning and resulting in an increase in
unintended pregnancy. This finding concords with those 5. Conclusion
of Xue et al. (2020) and Boserup et al. (2020), who found COVID-19 pandemic has a multi-faceted impact on the
that the prevention and control strategies for COVID-19 deterioration of SRH crisis. The prominent implications
indirectly increase the risk of sexual violence, which in of the pandemic are the limited access and availability of
turn increase, the magnitude of unintended pregnancy. SRH products and the exorbitant prices of these products.
These could indirectly lead to increased unsafe abortions In addition, people were scared of visiting medical
and mortality of women. Kassahun et al. (2019) noted that establishment for fear of contracting COVID-19. The
unintended pregnancy is a global public health issue and lockdown restrictions gave the couples and partners more
one of the most serious reproductive and sexual health time for sexual intercourse, thereby increasing the cases of
issues, putting women in reproductive age groups at a unintended pregnancies which had attendant impact on the
higher risk of mortality and morbidity. Out of shame, many rate of unsafe abortion and STDs. More effort by government
teenagers would choose to terminate their pregnancies and non-governmental organization is needed to strengthen
without professional assistance. This becomes worrisome SRH delivery in Nigeria, especially during pandemics.
as the rate of assisted abortion had been low due to the ban
on abortion in the country. Unassisted pregnancy would Acknowledgments
therefore increase the likelihood of maternal or infant The paper was presented at the Conference on Population
mortality and birth-related health complications. This calls and Reproductive Health Dynamics Under COVID-19 in
for urgent attention as evidence suggests that unintended Sub-Saharan Africa that was hosted by the University of
pregnancy increases the chances of unsafe abortion.
the Witwatersrand, South Africa through its Demography
The above exposition is a demonstration that the and Population Studies Programme. The Conference was
pandemic has significantly impacted SRH in a negative supported under the auspices of the Science Granting
manner. This is particularly not good as it scuttled the Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) and
effort at ensuring availability and accessibility of SRH administered by South Africa’s National Research
services and products. Many people will be forced to resort Foundation in collaboration with Canada’s International

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 65 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2354