Assessment of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antenatal Care Clinic and Well Child Clinic Services in Primary Care Unit in U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antenatal care clinic and well child clinic services in primary care unit. The participants consisted of 22 directors, 22 heads of antenatal care clinic, and 22 heads of well child clinic in sub-district health promoting hospitals in U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province. The research instrument was a semi-structured interview form of assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antenatal care clinic and well child clinic services in primary care unit. Data were collected from October to November 2022. Data were analyzed by content analysis, frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

The research results revealed that there were five main impacts on antenatal care clinic and well child clinic services, including 1) no compliance with the measures of COVID-19 prevention; 2) lack of protective equipment such as PPE set; 3) lack of budget; 4) increase staff workload; and 5) decrease number of clients. However, antenatal care clinic had to stop the antenatal care service, whereas telephone or line application following was provided. For well child clinic, the service pattern was modified to active home visit approach.

This research suggests that in case of the pandemic of any communicable disease, the healthcare workers in sub-district health promoting hospitals should modify the service pattern by applying various social medias in order to provide the essential basic services continuously.