48^th Global Nursing and Healthcare Congress

Health Care and Maternal Child Health

Every day, more than 500 women and girls die in emergency rooms as a result of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth (UNFPA, 2018, p. 3). In 2017, an estimated 535 million children (almost one in every four children on the planet) resided in nations affected by natural disasters (UNICEF, 2017). This study includes some critical technical resources as well as examples of organisations working in maternity, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) in emergency circumstances.

In humanitarian catastrophes, organisations working in maternity, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) mostly use the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) produced by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises (IAWG). At the outset of an emergency, programmes focus on providing a range of basic health care, which are later expanded upon by adding more extensive services.

Examples of programming for moving from the emergency to the post-emergency period and rebuilding health systems were more difficult to find. To improve maternal and newborn outcomes, a great number of the organisations assessed for this report emphasised the need of highly trained staff, particularly experienced birth attendants. Only Management Sciences for Health and International Medical Corps, on the other hand, had well-defined midwife training programmes.