Barriers and facilitators to the provision of maternal health services at community health centers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of midwives in Indonesia

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of midwives in Indonesia on the provision of maternal health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study using focus group discussions was undertaken. A conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data. Coding categories were generated from the transcripts. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two midwives from five community health centers of three regions in the Province of Jambi, Indonesia were included. FINDINGS: The interviewees shared similar barriers and facilitators in delivering the services, including the unavailability of adequate protective equipment, the limitation of the number of services, and dealing with the new public health measures related to the COVID-19. Overall, midwives demonstrated a continued commitment to provide maternal health services during the pandemic. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Significant changes in service delivery have been made to comply with pandemic related restrictions. Despite the unprecedentedly difficult working environment, the midwives continue to provide adequate services to the community by implementing a strict health protocol. Findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of how the quality of the services changed, as well as how new challenges can be addressed and positive changes can be reinforced.