Supporting safer births through a pandemic

A trained nurse conducting awareness raising session at Myanaung Township Hospital, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar (Jhpiego/ Zin Mar Khine/Dec 2020)

Across the Asia Pacific region, Water for Women partners have been on the frontline of COVID-19 responses in their communities and beyond. Safe and accessible water, sanitation and hygiene (known as WASH) is a critical starting point in developing healthy communities, and as we all know, a crucial component in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

When the pandemic was spreading across the globe, our partners were mobilising existing projects and teams to help communities across Asia and the Pacific be aware and prepared for COVID-19.

A WASH response is a COVID-19 response

In Myanmar, our partner WaterAid is Supporting Safer Births in health care facilities in five townships by improving WASH services and infection and prevention control. COVID-19 is yet another virus on top of many that newborn babies and mothers can be at risk of during this vulnerable time at birth. During a pandemic this work becomes even more urgent.

WaterAid, together with their partner Jhpiego worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Sport to contribute to COVID-19 response plans in health care centres. They also played a role in disseminating awareness and prevention messaging and materials such as hand sanitiser and soap.

Jhpiego have provided technical updates to ensure health facility staff are full prepared and up to date on many important systems and processes for proper and inclusive health care, this included modules on environmental cleaning, hand hygiene, healthcare waste management, instrument processing, linen handling, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), safe injection practice for all, and sanitation.

The importance of sex-segregated and disability-friendly toilets, menstrual hygiene management in female toilets, keeping gender-based violence health care guidelines in the facility, ensuring gender-based violence case reporting, record keeping including sex disaggregated data was reinforced.

Furthermore, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, guidance on COVID-19 as well as respiratory hygiene was also provided and Jhpiego adapted in-person technical support to remote technical support through online technical update sessions provided to Township Hospital staff. Hospital staff actively participated and discussed how to properly provide IPC interventions in isolation wards and fever clinics.

Protection from COVID-19 and many other diseases is critical at health care centre's and that begins with knowledgeable staff and the necessary processes, systems and resources in place, which is exactly what WaterAid is working to improve through their Water for Women project.