Original Research – Special Collection: Vaccine Effectiveness in Africa

Perspectives of healthcare stakeholders in Nigeria on the impact of COVID-19 on health services

Adeponle O. Adeoye, Yewande T. Nejo, Chinwe L. Ochu, Josephine Bayigga, Rodgers R. Ayebare, Adedayo O. Faneye, Charles O. Adewemimo, Oluwaseun Emmanuel Falayi, Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe, Prosper Okonkwo, Adewale Victor Opayele, Gloria Ogochukwu Nwiyi, Sunday Obiajunwa Eziechina, Ikemefule Rex Uzoma, Priscilla Ibekwe, Tamrat Shaweno, Nebiyu Dereje, Francis Kakooza, Mosoka Papa Fallah, Georgina Njideka Odaibo
Journal of Public Health in Africa | Vol 16, No 1 | a674 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jphia.v16i1.674 | © 2025 Adeponle O. Adeoye, Yewande Tolulope Nejo, Chinwe Lucia Ochu, Josephine Bayigga, Rodgers Rodriguez Ayebare, Adedayo Omotayo Faneye, Charles Olaosebikan Adewemimo, Oluwaseun Emmanuel Falayi, Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe, Prosper Okonkwo, Adewale Victor Opaye | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 13 June 2024 | Published: 29 January 2025

About the author(s)

Adeponle O. Adeoye, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Yewande T. Nejo, Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Chinwe L. Ochu, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
Josephine Bayigga, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Uganda
Rodgers R. Ayebare, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Uganda
Adedayo O. Faneye, Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Charles O. Adewemimo, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Oluwaseun Emmanuel Falayi, Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Prosper Okonkwo, APIN Public Health Initiative, Abuja, Nigeria
Adewale Victor Opayele, Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Gloria Ogochukwu Nwiyi, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
Sunday Obiajunwa Eziechina, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
Ikemefule Rex Uzoma, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
Priscilla Ibekwe, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
Tamrat Shaweno, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Abada, Ethiopia
Nebiyu Dereje, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Abada, Ethiopia
Francis Kakooza, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Uganda
Mosoka Papa Fallah, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Abada, Ethiopia
Georgina Njideka Odaibo, Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; and African Forum for Research and Education, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 disrupted critical public health services globally. It is important to understand how the pandemic affected healthcare service delivery and utilisation in Nigeria to guide planning for future public health crises in the country.

Aim: This study aimed to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected health service delivery and utilisation in Nigeria.

Setting: The study was conducted in Abuja, and Oyo State, Nigeria, in 2023.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional qualitative study that adopted an exploratory study design. Key Informant Interviews were used to elicit information from twenty-eight healthcare stakeholders in relevant government health Ministries and Agencies as well as partners of the government on health. The selection of the stakeholders was done through purposive sampling. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, and analysed using an inductive qualitative data analysis method to generate themes. The data were further organized and analysed using NVivo software version 14.

Results: The findings revealed that COVID-19 negatively affected healthcare service delivery and utilisation in Nigeria. This was due to various factors such as healthcare workers’ unwillingness to provide services, exposed healthcare system gaps that affected service delivery, and the shift of attention and resources to COVID-19. However, the pandemic also presented an opportunity to improve public health infrastructure and health service delivery.

Conclusion: Government needs to maximise the gains from the pandemic to build a resilient health system.

Contribution: This article provides insights for public health policy and planning aimed at enhancing resilience and optimising service delivery during future health crises.


Keywords

COVID-19; service delivery; utilisation; infrastructure; planning

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Metrics

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