Strengthening the maternal and child health responses to Ebola outbreaks in Uganda

During the Ugandan lockdown in response to COVID-19, we described an increase in the rate of infants with low birthweight, stillbirths, and preterm births due to the closure of antenatal care, mother-to-child transmission of HIV preventative care, routine vaccination services, and sexual and reproductive health services.3 The indirect effects of measures taken to deal with a disease outbreak of major concern need to be considered for MNCH services; however, these effects must be balanced with the requirement for necessary infection control measures and the mitigation of the risk of hospitals being overwhelmed and overcrowded by a rise in Ebola cases. There were three pregnant women and one stillborn with confirmed Ebola in the recent outbreak in Uganda.6 Therefore, supporting existing maternal health centres with appropriate personal protective equipment and infection control procedures to cope with pregnant women and children presenting away from treatment centres must form an essential part of any future outbreak response. [...]with the Ugandan outbreak formally over, attention must remain on pregnant women and children in the form of psycho-social support and community engagement in returning and reintegrating back into their homes.