The COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Health Service Utilization Among Pregnant Women in Three Nigerian States: A Mixed Methods Study.

Objective: COVID-19 disrupted health service delivery and weakened global and national health systems. The objective of this study was to describe the changes in health service utilization in three local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria and examine factors involved.

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods approach was used.

Retrospective evaluation of referral by community health workers on the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of Malaria in pregnancy in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of three doses of quality-assured sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp), in moderate to high malaria transmission areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, coverage of IPTp lags behind coverage of antenatal care (ANC) visits; in Nigeria, 57% of women attended four or more ANC visits, whereas only 17% received the recommended three or more doses of IPTp. The innovative program aimed to close this gap by providing counseling on the benefits of comprehensive ANC, referral to ANC and community distribution of IPTp (C-IPTp), complementing IPTp at ANC.