Citizens lack access to healthcare facilities: How COVID‐19 lockdown and social distancing policies boost roadside chemist businesses in South‐Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines how COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing policies impacted on citizens' access to healthcare facilities and the level of patronage of chemist/pharmacies for self-treatment. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey method was used to collect data by asking individuals quantitative and qualitative questions in person whichincluded 6 structured open-ended questions. Participants include operators of purposively selected three classes of small businesses/self-employed services in South-Eastern Nigeria. This involves 120 fashion/event related businesses, 80 food related businesses and 100 general merchandise-a total of 300 small businesses. Quantitative data were analysed by frequencies and descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analysed using thematic/content analysis.It concludes that although COVID-19 lockdown policies are generally perceived to have negative effects on small businesses, these policies have particularly had positive effects on the chemist/pharmacies businesses compared with other small businesses. About 85% increase in patronage of chemist businesses compared with 63.7% decline in patronage of other small businesses is essentially linked to increasing rate of self-medication as a result of government's poor implementation of COVID-19 public health policies amidst lockdown measures-which limited people's access to hos-

When one door closes: a qualitative exploration of women’s experiences of access to sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria

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