People Are Going off PrEP in the COVID-19 Era Because They’re Not Having Sex

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The physical distancing being practiced by millions all over the world has had an interesting side effect – many people who were taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylactics) to avoid contracting HIV have stopped taking their daily doses since they do not plan to have sexual contact for the foreseeable future.

This article reviews some recent studies about this trend and how the sexually active gay and heterosexual communities are responding to COVID-19.

Source: People Are Going off PrEP in the COVID-19 Era Because They’re Not Having Sex

    Views 824

    La Réponse du Partenariat de Ouagadougou au COVID-19

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    L’ampleur de la pandémie du COVID-19 constitue une menace réelle pour les populations de l’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone comme pour les systèmes de santé et les économies des pays membres du Partenariat de Ouagadougou.

    Toutefois, la survenue de cette crise additionnelle dans une région déjà fragilisée par des défis sécuritaires et humanitaires, exige une réponse appropriée du Partenariat du Ouagadougou. Cette réponse du PO, tout en reconnaissant la nécessité de mesures fortes contre le COVID-19, doit préserver les acquis en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive, et protéger le droit des femmes et des familles à la planification familiale maintenant et après 2020.

    Source: La Réponse du Partenariat de Ouagadougou au COVID-19

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      COVID-19 and Family Planning Resource Center

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      The COVID-19 pandemic has had and will continue to have a profound impact on the lives of people across the globe, as well as health and social systems, and national economies. This upheaval will also have a profound impact on access to family planning information and services, as well as sexual and reproductive health more broadly.

      Despite this disruption, the need for family planning will not change. For women, family planning is critical, basic health care. As health systems shift to prevent and treat people with COVID-19, it is essential they also protect access to family planning services. Throughout the crisis, Family Planning 2020 will work with country and global partners to ensure family planning remains an essential element of the global health agenda.

      As countries determine how to deliver essential health services in the face of a global pandemic, FP2020 has created this platform to ensure key information from global experts about access to family planning during this crisis is getting into the hands of the decisionmakers and program implementers who need it. Likewise, we will be sharing experiences of our country partners and the lessons they are learning, including how the virus is having an impact on their work and the strategies they are using to continue service delivery.

      Source: COVID-19 and Family Planning Resource Center

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        Early Estimates of the Indirect Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maternal and Child Mortality in Low-income and Middle-income Countries: A Modelling Study

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        While the COVID-19 pandemic will increase mortality due to the virus, it is also likely to increase mortality indirectly. In this study, the authors estimate the additional maternal and under-5 child deaths resulting from the potential disruption of health systems and decreased access to food.

        The results of the study show that if routine health care is disrupted and access to food is decreased (as a result of unavoidable shocks, health system collapse, or intentional choices made in responding to the pandemic), the increase in child and maternal deaths will be devastating. The authors hope these numbers add context as policy makers establish guidelines and allocate resources in the days and months to come.

        Source: Early Estimates of the Indirect Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maternal and Child Mortality in Low-income and Middle-income Countries: A Modelling Study

          Views 498

          Millions More Cases of Violence, Child Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation, Unintended Pregnancy Expected due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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          The economic and physical disruptions caused by COVID-19 could have vast consequences for the rights and health of women and girls, a new analysis by UNFPA and partners shows.

          Significant levels of lockdown-related disruption over 6 months could leave 47 million women in low- and middle-income countries unable to use modern contraceptives, leading to a projected 7 million additional unintended pregnancies. Six months of lockdowns could result in an additional 31 million cases of gender-based violence.

          The pandemic is also expected to cause significant delays in programs to end female genital mutilation and child marriage, resulting in an estimated 2 million more cases of FGM over the next decade than would otherwise have occurred. These delayed programs, on top of growing economic hardships globally, could result in an estimated 13 million more child marriages over 10 years.

          These figures – produced in collaboration with partners Avenir Health, Johns Hopkins University (USA) and Victoria University (Australia) – are rough estimates. A great deal is still unknown about how the pandemic, and the response to it, will unfold around the world. But together, the projections offer an alarming view of the future that could confront women and girls if efforts are not urgently made to secure their welfare and ensure their rights.

          Source: Millions More Cases of Violence, Child Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation, Unintended Pregnancy Expected due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

            Views 574

            Community-based Health Care, including Outreach and Campaigns,in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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            Community-based health care is an essential part of primary care at all times; in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distinct capacity of trusted community members for social engagement and delivering care where it is needed is ever more critical. This joint WHO, UNICEF and IFRC guidance addresses the role of community-based health care in the pandemic context. It includes practical recommendations for decision makers to help keep communities and health workers safe, to sustain essential services at the community level, and to ensure an effective response to COVID-19. Using this comprehensive and coordinated approach will help countries strengthen the resilience of community-based health services throughout the pandemic, into early recovery and beyond.

            Source: Community-based Health Care, including Outreach and Campaigns,in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

              Views 694

              COVID-19 House to House Community Outreach Protocol

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              This protocol provides guidance to CGP-GHS Project staff on how to ensure the health and safety of community health volunteers (CHVs) and the unintentional spread of COVID-19 in the community. The need to conduct community-based surveillance and health promotion needs to be weighed against the risk of endangering either CHVs or community members while conducting house-to-house surveillance and health education and promotion activities.

              This protocol is the current position of CGP-GHS Project regarding community outreach activities in the context of COVID-19. The epidemiology of the outbreak remains unclear, and therefore the global community is relying on standard outbreak response protocol to disrupt transmission of COVID-19. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is cross-cutting in all areas of outbreak response but is primarily the tool to inform the public on risk and prevention measures. One of the most effective ways to communicate risk and the behavior changes that are required to prevent disease is through health education and promotion at the household level.

              Source: COVID-19 House to House Community Outreach Protocol

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                Infant and Young Child Feeding Recommendations When COVID-19 is Suspected or Confirmed

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                Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counselling in the context of COVID-19 remains a critical nutrition intervention for the protection and support of pregnant women, caregivers, and their young children. WHO and UNICEF advise caregivers and families with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to continue the recommended IYCF practices with the necessary hygiene precautions. It is therefore vital to ensure that communities and families around the world adopt these recommendations to help prevent the spread of the virus and care for those who are infected.

                UNICEF and USAID Advancing Nutrition, with the support of the Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Core Group represented by Save the Children and Safely Fed Canada, have developed a counselling package, Infant and Young Child Feeding Recommendations when COVID-19 is Suspected or Confirmed. The set includes 10 Counselling Cards and a Recommended Practices Booklet. These materials reflect the global recommendations from WHO and UNICEF (March 2020) on IYCF in the context of COVID-19 and may be periodically updated to reflect new or emerging evidence. The package provides both easy-to-understand recommended practices for counselors and user-friendly graphics that can be used with low-literacy communities in different contexts.

                Source: Infant and Young Child Feeding Recommendations When COVID-19 is Suspected or Confirmed

                  Views 718

                  Community-Based Health and First Aid COVID-19 Manuals

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                  Community-Based Health and First Aid (eCBHFA) volunteers are a community’s first line of defense in the midst of the global COVID-19 epidemic.  This guidance is for active eCBHFA volunteers working with vulnerable groups at the community level to help keep people safe, informed and at ease as the pandemic progresses.

                  Source: Community-Based Health and First Aid COVID-19 Manuals

                    Views 489