Challenges Faced by Individuals with Chronic Morbidity to Avail Healthcare Services during COVID-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study in a Village of West Bengal

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges and threats to the health care system, particularly affecting the management of chronic morbidity patients especially in rural areas. This study aims of to explore the difficulties and constraints faced by the individuals with chronic morbidity, towards health seeking behavior, residing in the study area, due to Covid19 pandemic. Methodology: Qualitative exploratory design employing semi-structured interviews was adapted for the study. The interviews were conducted using in-depth interview of by individuals with chronic morbidity to avail healthcare services, residing in a village of West Bengal, due to Covid19 Pandemic. Inductive analysis of in-depth interview was undertaken to determine themes, categories and codes. Results: The findings of this research are: (i) Unable to avail healthcare facility (ii) Availability of health care services at increased cost (iii) Reduced earnings and decreased capacity to pay (iv)Fear of ‘Corona infection’ (v)Lack of proper information. Conclusion: The study explores that mere availability of doctor consultation is not sufficient for continuation of care; transport facilities, availability of drugs all play their part. Community participation for facilitating these patients were also scarce, especially in a setting where the prevalence of NCDs and proportion of elderly population are high.