Coverage of maternal health issues during the Covid 19 pandemic: A study of Uttarakhand in India

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted maternal health and health care services. Studies have argued that disruptions in public health result in damage leading to implications for vulnerable populations. Besides that, during the lockdown period, maternal health services dropped down at a significant rate leading to maternal mortality and morbidity in Uttarakhand. Government restricted the movement of the population by halting non-essential services, reducing public transport, and barriers to health care access. The hospital beds were overburdened with infected patients. There were differences observed in the maternal health care provided to the patients in the rural areas in comparison to urban counterparts. The digitalization era made it possible for the urban masses to avail of online consultation, whereas in the rural areas, the condition worsened due to a lack of technology, access, and connectivity. The print Media reflected maternal health issues due to restrictions in movement in different regions in Uttarakhand, namely, Haldwani, Berinag, Bajpur, Kashipur, and Sitarganj. The local communities had to face the challenges and bear loss due to preventable maternal deaths. This paper is an attempt to analyze the maternal health cases presented in local newspapers during the pandemic. The qualitative case studies from the local newspapers, Amar Ujala & The Hindustan, circulated in the regions of Uttarakhand, are mentioned in the study. The arguments in the study are presented based on content analysis from the period March 2020-April 2021.