Background: Globally, the emergence of the Covid -19 pandemic comes with great cost to all sectors of human endeavors. Among its impacts in Nigeria is inadequate attention to some basic health needs, including family planning, as a result of the huge diversion of health resources, including manpower to cater for Covid-19 responses. Lock down associated with the pandemic responses gave rise to increased cases of unintended pregnancies and a rise in reported cases in many facilities in Adamawa State of Nigeria. The desire and request for abortion services among married women equally rose. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the integration of SRH services with Covid-19 responses as a means of sustaining increased access to Family Planning uptake.
Method: The MSION team collaborated with Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA) across Wards and facilities in 14 LGAs. Orientation of staff and other community volunteers on the strategy of SRH integration with Covid-19 responses was done. Formation of the team at Ward levels for reaching community stakeholders also took place. A minimum of 100 community stakeholders including men and women were targeted for special awareness on SRH & Covid -19. Demand creation and direct FP service provision was deployed on daily basis.
Result: Over 100 Family planning services were rendered daily per ward, with an average of 600 women reached per week for FP service uptake. The MSION team increased performance over the team's internally set targets for the state.
- Outreach Team Service Target: 9,300.8 services; Team Achieved: 11,385 services (122%)
- Couple Years of Protection (CYPs) Target: 36,528; Team Achieved: 38,323CYPs. (105%) (Period of May -December, 2020).
Conclusion: Integration of relevant programs is a sustainable approach to sustaining and increasing uptake of family planning services, even in crisis periods like Covid-19
Keywords: Integration; Covid-19, CYPs
