Welcome to our deep dive into an often silenced part of the COVID-19 epidemic: family planning and women’s health in the Pacific region. In the maelstrom of information surrounding the epidemic, it is important to highlight how these unprecedented times have uniquely impacted women’s health and family planning agencies.
Family planning and women’s health, always vital, have taken on new dimensions during the pandemic. Like many others, Pacific County has faced challenges and opportunities for growth and learning. This article attempts to unravel these complexities by offering insights and reflections on the long journey. From the initial struggle for accurate information to the deployment of vaccines, each step has revealed something new about our community and the resilience of its members.
Background: Family Planning and Women’s Health
Before delving into the implications of the epidemic, let’s put a basic understanding of family planning and women’s health on the stage, particularly in a Pacific context. Basic family planning allows individuals and couples to achieve the desired number of births and predictable spacing and timing of births through contraceptive methods and unplanned births. Women’s health now includes reproductive health, mental health, and physical of all welfare.
In Pacific County, as in many other countries, family planning and women’s health have long been cornerstones of community well-being. These services empower women and support families and communities to heal. Before the outbreak, hospitals and health centers in the Pacific were packed with essentials such as birth control, antenatal and postnatal care and cancer research.
However, even in pre-COVID times, challenges existed. Access to services was often uneven, with rural areas facing particular hardships due to fewer clinics and a lack of specialists. In addition, there were barriers related to education, income, and cultural differences that sometimes prevented women from seeking or receiving needed care.
Understanding this pre-pandemic environment provides a starting point to assess the changes brought about by COVID-19. The epidemic did not overwhelm the stable system; It affected healthcare facilities that already have dynamic and complex ecosystems.