Unicef has made an estimation regarding the increase in population that would be a result of extensive lockdown measures for people, and has predicted that 5 million babies are to be born expectedly in Pakistan alone, topped by India’s figures of almost 20 million. Here is the report to put everything into perspective:
The continuing rapid spread of Covid-19 across South Asia means new mothers and newborns will be greeted by harsh realities, including global containment measures such as lockdowns and curfews, health centres overwhelmed with response efforts, supply and equipment shortages, and a lack of sufficient skilled birth attendants as health workers […] are redeployed to treat Covid-19 patients.
“Unicef cautions that although evidence suggests that pregnant mothers are not more affected by Covid-19 than others, countries need to ensure they still have access to antenatal, delivery and post-natal services.
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“Likewise, sick newborns need emergency services as they are at high risk of death. New families require care to ensure the health and well-being of mothers, support to start breastfeeding, and to get medicines, vaccines and nutrition to keep their babies healthy
The UN body urged governments and healthcare providers to take a few steps to save lives in the coming months by:
- Helping women receive regular checkups during their pregnancy, skilled delivery care and post-delivery care
- Ensuring health workers are provided with the necessary personal protective equipment and priority testing and vaccination for Covid-19 when it becomes available
- Ensuring that all infection prevention and control measures are being followed at health facilities
- Allowing healthcare workers to reach pregnant women through home visits, encouraging women living in rural areas to visit maternal waiting homes, and using mobile health strategies for tele-consultations
- Training, protecting and equipping health workers with kits to attend to home births
- Allocating resources to lifesaving services and supplies for maternal and child health
