New Delhi (NVI): The unprecedented disruption in primary health care due to Covid-19 may lead to the death of an additional 51,000 children under the age of five in the Middle East and North Africa by end of 2020, according to a joint report by WHO and UNICEF.
Primary health care services have either decreased or been interrupted in several countries as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting health systems under unprecedented stress in the region, says the report by Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Regional Director in the Middle East and North Africa and Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
“While we do not have many cases of COVID-19 among children in the region, it is evident that the pandemic is affecting children’s health firsthand. An additional 51,000 children under the age of five might die in the region by the end of 2020 if the current disruption of essential health and nutrition services is protracted and malnutrition among children increases,” they said.
“If this happens, it would be an increase of nearly 40 per cent in comparison to pre-COVID figures, reversing progress made in child survival in the region by nearly two decades,” they added.
The report further states that a combination of factors will contribute to this bleak prediction. Overstretched, many front-line health workers have diverted their efforts to respond to the outbreak amid a shortage of personal protective equipment and other essential supplies. Lockdowns, movement restrictions and economic barriers could further prevent communities’ access to health care. Many fear of contracting the virus while at health facilities, as per the findings.
Children and mothers are therefore likely to miss out on preventive interventions including immunization, treatment of neonatal infections and childhood diseases, care during pregnancy and childbirth and services to prevent an increase in wasting, they added.
However, UNICEF and WHO recommend the following actions to avoid this scenario:
* The full and safe resumption of vaccination campaigns and nutrition services, following strict precautionary measures for infection prevention, using personal protective equipment, avoiding overcrowding and adhering to physical spacing in health care facilities.
* Prioritize and facilitate access to primary health care services for every child especially the most vulnerable through the availability of health personnel and supplies.
* Equip the community outreach teams across the region with the minimum requirements for infection prevention and control (IPC) including the implementation of standard precautions and personal protective equipment.
* Invest in effective public communication and community engagement initiatives to increase trust in public health systems and promote appropriate care-seeking behaviours among families.
