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Indirect effects on maternal and child mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from disruptions in healthcare utilization in 18 Low- and Middle- Income countries

SSRN Ahmed, T., Robertson, T., Monitoring of essential health services team, Alfred, J., Baye, M., Diabate, M., Kiarie, H., Mbaka, P., Mohamud, N., Mwansambo, C., Ndiaye, Y., Nzelu, C., Ofosu, A., Raharison, T., Sadat, H., Smart, F., Uddin, H., Wendrad, N., Wesseh, C., Yansane, M., Yuma, S., Vergeer, P., Hansen, P., Friedman, J., Shapira, G. 2021-9-09
Article on one of the most critical of secondary consequences, the decrease in the utilization of health services and the resulting consequences for mortality. In low- and middle-income countries, these disruptions can halt progress towards reducing maternal and child mortality. It was estimated that decreases in essential health service utilization between March 2020 and June 2021 led to 113,873 additional deaths in the 18 countries, representing 3.8% and 1.4% increases in child and maternal mortality, respectively. This corresponds to an average of 2.6 indirect deaths per COVID-19 death officially reported in the same period. This excess mortality results from the decline in utilization of the RMNCH services included in the analysis, but the utilization shortfalls vary substantially between countries, health services, and over time. The largest disruptions, resulting in 27.5% of the excess death, occurred during the second quarter of 2020, regardless of whether countries experienced the highest rate of COVID-19-related deaths during the same months. There is a significant relationship between the magnitude of service disruptions and the stringency of mobility restrictions.
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  • COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Gender and/or Agency
  • Health
  • Resilience
  • Women and/or Girls
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Bangladesh
  • Caribbean
  • East Africa
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Haiti
  • Horn of Africa
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Mali
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Asia
  • Southern Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Uganda
  • West Africa
  • Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
  • Adult women
  • Adults (men and/or women 19+ years old)
  • Children (boys and/or girls 1-10 years old)
  • Children <5 years old
  • Mothers
  • Women (adults and/or adolescents)
  • Research
  • Article
  • Journal article

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Undernourished and overlooked: A global nutrition crisis in adolescent girls and women

  • Advocacy
  • Policy
  • Research
  • Report
  • Statistical Booklet
  • Video
  • Climate Shocks
  • COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Economic
  • Food Insecurity
  • Gender and/or Agency
  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Other Crises
  • Social Support and Protection
  • Women and/or Girls
2023-3-7
UNICEF’s 2022 Flagship Child Nutrition Report on the latest data and evidence on the status, trends, and inequities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and women. It sheds light on the barriers they face in accessing nutritious diets, utilizing essential nutrition services, and benefitting from positive care practices. The report calls on governments and partners to work together on ten key actions to transform the food, health, and the social protection systems that aim to improve access to nutritious diets and essential nutrition services, as well as to strengthen nutrition and care practices for adolescent girls and women, everywhere. The full report, executive summary, statistical booklet, and video are available. View Source

Asia and the Pacific regional overview of food security and nutrition 2022: Urban food systems and nutrition – Launch recording, Key messages & Full report

  • Policy
  • Research
  • Article
  • Press release
  • Report
  • Video
  • COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Economic
  • Food Insecurity
  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Ukraine War
  • Women and/or Girls
2023-01-24
Press release on the launch and key messages of the fifth annual Asia-Pacific regional SOFI report. The report’s highlights capture the challenges and system-level determinants of unhealthy diets in urban areas, both regarding undernutrition and overweight. It presents, among others, data on food security and affordability and the state of progress on achieving the global nutrition targets. The findings profile various urban environments, interventions, experiences, and opportunities to innovate at multiple levels to transform urban areas into sustainable cities. A link to the report's virtual launch event is available including the recording, key messages, and full report. View Source

Impact on public health nutrition services due to COVID-19 pandemic in India: A scoping review of primary studies on health and social security determinants affecting the first 1000 days of life

  • Research
  • Article
  • Journal article
  • COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Food Insecurity
  • Gender and/or Agency
  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Women and/or Girls
2022-10-27
Article on the impact of COVID-19 related pathways on the first thousand days of life in the Integrated Child Development Scheme and the public distribution ecosystem in India. Data sources: Using Cochrane guidelines, electronic databases, namely Google Scholar and PubMed-NCBI, were searched for evidence between 1 March 2020 and 1 May 2022. A total of 73 studies were identified in initial search; 20 met the inclusion criteria and, thus, were included in the research analysis. Primary studies were conducted throughout pan-India in rural, urban, and semi-urban areas to study the impact of COVID-19-related pathways on the first 1000 days of life. The impact of social security, food insecurity, service delivery, nutrition of pregnant and nursing mothers (P&NMs), and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) varied between geographies and within geographies. Most of the primary studies were conducted at small scale, while only three studies were pan-Indian. The majority of studies were conducted on the mental health of P&NMs and pre-natal and post-natal service delivery disruption. The paucity of the available literature highlights the need to undertake research on the impact of the COVID-19 -related pathways on 1000 days of life in India and worldwide. The best implementation practices were observed where cross-sectional programs were carried out in relation to health services and social security for P&NMs and children. View Source