“Other risks don't stop”: adapting a youth sexual and reproductive health intervention in Zimbabwe during COVID-19

“I want one nurse who is friendly to talk to me properly like a friend”: Learner preferences for HIV and contraceptive service provision in Gauteng, South Africa

“…On a facility-level there are numerous critical factors that relate both to services rendered in terms of negative staff interactions as well as services affected by facility operational and structural issues. In summary and as evidenced in previous literature [ 25 ], [ 26 ], youth in this study also felt that they had to wait too long to be consulted, had to miss school due to inconvenient operating hours and that they were being verbally abused, judged and intimidated by older staff who reprimanded them openly. The lack of private consulting spaces within these facilities further impacted on the discretion of services offered as well as interactions between staff and patients and this has been noted to be common across other healthcare settings too [ 27 ], [ 28 ].…”

Nimble adaptations to sexual and reproductive health service provision to adolescents and young people in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

“… 30 As for outreach activities, there is an example from Kenya, where youth community health volunteers were mobilised in their communities to reach young adolescents and provide them with SRH information, counselling, and commodities such as condoms and contraceptive pills. 28 Similar to our study, while in-person activities had their value in providing adolescents with face-to-face support, 21 , 31 it was important during the early phase of the pandemic to provide alternative options for adolescents for whom access was difficult and to respond to their preferences in terms of the approach used to deliver the service. For instance, in India and Brazil, telemedicine was used to provide family planning counselling 32 and HIV care 29 to adolescent girls and adolescents living with HIV, respectively.…”

“…In Brazil and Zimbabwe, social distance measures and infection control measures were observed in health facilities and included mandating social distancing, mask-wearing, providing PPE for health providers, providing some services outdoors, and installing handwashing facilities. 21 , 29 In Indonesia, a teacher-led school-based CSE programme continued in classes – in some schools – with reduced student capacity and observing social distancing measures. 30 As for outreach activities, there is an example from Kenya, where youth community health volunteers were mobilised in their communities to reach young adolescents and provide them with SRH information, counselling, and commodities such as condoms and contraceptive pills.…”

“… 33 On the other hand, in Zimbabwe, a study reported that some of the adaptations used to provide SRH services had a negative impact on reaching adolescents, their retention, and the acceptability of the adapted services, as core elements of the services were not optimally adapted, which affected the quality of services delivered by the healthcare providers. 21 Therefore, careful evaluation of these adaptations should be considered, particularly for longer-term outcomes.…”

Adapting to a global pandemic: a qualitative assessment of programmatic responses to COVID-19 in the multi-country Women’s Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) programme

“…Although not seen in our study, research from a youth service in Zimbabwe found that COVID-19 infection control measures restricted the effectiveness of and engagement with the intervention, as time with healthcare providers was reduced and social activities were removed. 27 Similar findings were reported from a review of teenage pregnancy services in Sierra Leone, 26 suggesting the need for careful balancing of physical risk with social risk, particularly for adolescent services.…”