The Ministry of Health and Social Services with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and funding from the Government of Japan concluded a one-year project to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services.  The programme was implemented against the backdrop where COVID-19 threatened the country’s ability to meet its target to reduce maternal mortality from 385 (NDHS 2013) to at least 200 per 100,000 live births by 2021/22 and to reduce newborn mortality from 20 to 10 per 1,000 live births by 2021/22.

 Globally, every day, approximately 800 women and 6 700 babies lose their lives due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, nearly 5 400 babies are stillborn daily, with 40% of these deaths occurring in relation to labour and childbirth. Almost all maternal deaths (99%) occur in developing countries. More than half of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. 

The government of Japan granted a total of N$4, 056, 210 in March 2021, through WHO to support the Ministry of Health and Social Services to improve and increase the uptake of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on essential services.  The project reached close to 30,000 pregnant women and over 140,000 children under the age of five years nationally through capacity development of health care providers, provision of life saving equipment including 16 ultra-sound machines and communication materials.  

In a recent visit to the Erongo Region, H.E. Mr. HARADA Hideaki, the Ambassador of Japan to Namibia said that the project was to strengthen the capacity of health workers to provide quality essential services and to equip primary health care facilities to improve maternal and newborn care. He stated that a total of 128 heath workers (Doctors and Nurse/Midwives) from all 14 regions representing all 35 districts were trained to implement the new Antenatal Care (ANC) guidelines, and 16 facilities were equipped with ultrasound machines to improve the quality health services for pregnant women. The health care workers in ten health care facilities in Erongo and Otjozondjupa regions were further provided with mentoring and on the job training for the implementations of new ANC guidelines. 

Speaking during the same visit, Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative, said that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt access to, and utilization of, reproductive, maternal and child health services.  He stated that children, adolescents and mothers are not getting the care they need; for some of these conditions, this may have life-long and sometimes life-threatening consequences. Dr Sagoe-Moses also said that the pandemic has further put health systems and their ability to deliver health services under additional pressure. He said that Namibia is amongst many countries struggling to maintain a balance between scaling up an effective COVID-19 response and ensuring continuity of health services.  

 
Hon. Dr Ester Muinjangwe, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, who led the team in the Erongo Region, referred to the recently launched ANC Guidelines for positive pregnancy experience, appreciating the increase of ANC visits to 8 contact sessions of which an ultrasound examination is required in the early stage of the pregnancy, at least between 20-24 weeks.  She further said fetal scan is very crucial for pregnancy dating and checking for fetal anomaly. ‘Without an early accessibility to this service, many women with complications will not have the ultrasound done at all. This gesture from the Japanese embassy through the WHO will go a long way to support mothers and their communities as they seek to achieve better health outcomes’ the Deputy Minister emphasized. 

WHO will continue to provide technical and financial support to the government to sustain the gains through this project and help the country in progressing towards meeting its target for maternal and child health.