Continuity of essential health services in Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic: key findings from two surveys conducted in April and November 2021

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased pressure on Ukraine’s primary health-care (‎PHC)‎ system. To measure the impact of the pandemic on the PHC system and on the continuity of essential health services, two cohorts of 250 PHC facilities were surveyed in March–April 2021 and November 2021. This policy brief outlines the key results from the two rounds of the survey. Most PHC facilities reported some degree of disruption to their services, but the survey results showed that the PHC system has generally maintained the continuity of essential health services during the pandemic. This policy brief outlines policy considerations for strengthening COVID-19 preparedness at facility level.