As the world faces the global pandemic of COVID-19, the lives and wellbeing of women and their babies are at risk. The indirect, or unintended, consequences of COVID-19 on maternal and newborn health (MNH) are of great concern. Even before the emergence of COVID-19, high-quality and timely MNH services were unavailable, inaccessible, or unaffordable for millions of women and newborns. Now, disruption of services threaten to exacerbate limited access to care and negatively impact women’s and child’s health. Without intentional efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on MNH services, countries stand to lose the hard-won gains made in recent years. The aim of this session will be to reflect on the impact COVID-19 has had on MNH in the highest burden settings, to share learnings and best practices, and to discuss next steps.
Time: Thursday, July 1, 2020 14:15-15:30 GMT
Venue: Lives in the Balance – COVID-19 Virtual Summit – Marketplace session (20 minutes)