At least 95,000 mothers may give birth without a skilled health worker in the next 12 months due to aid cuts, UK charity Save the Children has warned.
The organisation said on Wednesday that the situation could put thousands of women and newborns at risk of life-threatening complications, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Yemen and Nigeria.
The most affected is the DRC where more than 82,000 births could occur without a qualified professional, followed by Yemen (5,231) and Nigeria (4,607).
The charity said the presence of a skilled birth attendant – a trained midwife, doctor or nurse – significantly reduces complications during delivery, improving survival rates for both mother and child.
Intervention in the critical “golden minute” after birth by trained medical personnel can drastically improve survival chances.
According to United Nations data, over 700 women and 6,300 newborns died daily from preventable causes related to pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal care in 2023 alone.
Save the Children UK chief executive Moazzam Malik, who is attending the ongoing 78th World Health Summit this week in Geneva, called on governments to rethink health financing to prevent further disruptions.
“Governments must act now to rethink and realign health financing: mobilising domestic resources, taxing harmful products, coordinating donor support and investing in resilient primary health systems. The future of universal health coverage depends on bold decisions today,” he said.
Malik urged World Health Organisation member states to adopt resolutions to strengthen global health financing and bolster the health workforce by 2030.
The World Health Assembly is an annual gathering of global health leaders that aims to address the critical challenges facing global healthcare delivery.
JN/APA