Empowering Women's Reproductive Health: Investigating barriers to effective policy implementation in rural South Africa

In the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, the public healthcare system effectively collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the loss of access to maternal, child, and sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) for millions of South Africans. Public healthcare facilities, vital in impoverished regions, faced challenges such as overcrowding and prolonged wait times, exacerbating vulnerability to infection. Despite governmental efforts, mistrust persists among rural populations. The IDRC/CIHR-funded project Ukuvula Isango (UK), aims to document and address the impacts of this collapse on rural communities, with the aim of fostering women's empowerment and informing post-pandemic reconstruction. Under the UK umbrella, this project aims to investigate the process of data-driven policy translation in a resource-limited post-pandemic context, analyzing barriers and facilitators to healthcare. The study integrates previously collected qualitative data, employing ethnographic observations among participants and stakeholders to analyze the process of translating data into programming and policy change. Results will be coded using an existing health policy framework, informing policy development for enhanced reproductive health outcomes. Supported by a skilled team and robust infrastructure, this research will engage marginalized communities in co-producing evidence-based policy solutions, offering unique insights to catalyze effective changes in women's reproductive health in under-resourced settings. The project holds significance in exploring strategies for women to emerge from the pandemic with increased resilience and enhanced health protection, while identifying barriers and facilitators to effective policy knowledge translation across rural communities.