Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the E4A-MamaYe project has been working with coalitions of sub-national advocates to alert governments of the need to ensure continued provision of maternal and child health services. Increasingly, governments realise the importance of making their health systems more resilient to ensure continued availability of quality and safe health services during times of emergencies.
Many also start to realise the important role that primary health cares services play in preventing outbreaks through surveillance and in engaging communities by informing them on how they can protect themselves from infection. However, despite these learnings, many countries continue to underfund primary health care services. This particularly affects services for women and children, threatening to set back important progress made in maternal and child health.
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Everlyne from MNH Coalition in Nairobi, Kenya -
Christiana from NiSAM Coalition in Niger, Nigeria -
Malon from MNH Coalition in Bungoma, Kenya
On Universal Health Care (UHC) day, E4A-MamaYe amplifies the voices of coalitions of advocates. Evidence shared by advocacy coalitions shows that, despite promises by governments, too often the funds allocated to maternal health services do not reach health facilities.
COVID-19 has shown the world the importance of investing in strong and resilient health services for all. Therefore, it's more important than ever to make sure that civil society voices are heard and governments invest in UHC.