Augmenting Community Response to COVID-19 Challenges: Lessons from Andhra Pradesh, India
Augmenting Community Response to COVID-19 Challenges: Lessons from Andhra Pradesh, India

Summary/Abstract: The scale and magnitude of the COVID-19 catastrophe are daunting, especially in a lower-middle-income country (LMIC) like India. This study attempted to examine barriers and challenges in accessing COVID-19 services among vulnerable groups including women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities/co-morbidity/underlying medical conditions, and migrant labourers from sampled rural and urban areas of Vijayawada in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. A cross-sectional mixed method research design was adopted. Desk review followed by in-depth interviews using a purposive sampling strategy among 46 target respondents, including 25 beneficiaries and 21 Decision Makers/COVID Care Providers, was carried out. The outcomes from this study showedthat though testing capacity has surged, and services were made available there is a need to expand testing in rural areas, preferential deployment of WHO point of care diagnostic kits by outreach workers, enforcement of preventive measures, addressing misinformation on non-pharmacological interventions and sensitisation on COVID-19 vaccination. Public health services such as Immunisation, Reproductive and Child Health, Tuberculosis, and other non-COVID health services need to be strengthened, and existing measures on food and supplies for the vulnerable to be sustained.

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