Protect Mothers & Children in Crisis—Act Now
MCAI Humanitarian Week Statement (18–24 August 2025) • World Humanitarian Day: 19 August 2025
About this statement. MCAI is a non-partisan humanitarian organization. Consistent with international
humanitarian principles, we advocate for the protection of health care, unhindered humanitarian access,
and resourcing of proven Maternal Neonatal and Childhealth Healthcare (MNCH) interventions. This statement is evidence-based and time-limited to current needs as of 18 August 2025.
Mothers, newborns, and children are bearing a disproportionate share of today’s humanitarian crises.
Violent conflict, displacement, climate shocks, grossly unequal financial systems, unregulated arms distributions and collapsing basic services are converging to create life-threatening conditions in multiple regions. For MCAI (Maternal and Child health Advocacy International), the principle is simple: preventable deaths are unacceptable. Health care must be protected, access must open, and resources must reach those most at risk—now.
What we are seeing.
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Obstructed access to essential services—antenatal care, safe delivery, emergency obstetric and newborn care, routine immunization, nutrition support, and treatment of childhood illnesses.
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Attacks on health care and unsafe conditions for health workers, degrading the very systems meant to save lives.
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Mass displacement and disrupted supply chains causing stock-outs of lifesaving commodities.
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Rising malnutrition, unsafe water/sanitation, and increased exposure to gender-based violence.
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Data gaps that obscure needs and slow decision-making for maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes.
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These harms are concentrated among pregnant and lactating women, newborns, infants and young children, adolescents, people with disabilities, and communities in hard-to-reach or besieged areas.
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Country spotlights — Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Tigray/Ethiopia (mid-August 2025)
Gaza — Spotlight
Over 320,000 children under five (the entire under-5 population) are at risk of acute malnutrition.
>5,000 children were diagnosed/treated for malnutrition in May 2025.
5,550 under-five admissions for acute malnutrition between 1–15 July; 998 were Severe Acute
Malnutrition (SAM).
By 22 July, 101 malnutrition deaths were recorded by the Gaza health authorities, including 80
children; partners warned numbers were rising.
Attacks on health care continue to be documented, further constraining lifesaving services and supply
chains.
Implications: sustained, deconflicted land crossings; fuel and power for hospitals and the vaccine cold
chain; protection of health workers and facilities; uninterrupted pipelines for therapeutic foods
(RUTF/RUSF), essential MNCH commodities, and vaccines.
Ukraine — Spotlight
Context: Ongoing hostilities damage health, power, and water systems; repeated displacement and
winterization risks.
MNCH implications: Disrupted ANC/delivery; trauma and stress among pregnant women and
adolescents; cold-chain interruptions; increased GBV risk.
Immediate asks: Protect facilities and staff; secure corridors for MNCH commodities and vaccines;
psychosocial support; winterized PHC and newborn care; continuity of disability-inclusive services.
UN Security Council to provide No Fly zone and UN peacekeepers (largely provided from European
and Scandinavian NATO resources) (see today’s attachment on WhatsApp).
Sudan — Spotlight
Context: Widespread conflict, access denials, and severe food insecurity; mass displacement within and
across borders.
MNCH implications: High risk of wasting among children; stock-outs of obstetric/newborn supplies;
referral breakdowns; attacks/looting affecting service continuity.
Immediate asks: Deconflicted access; re-establish referral and emergency transport; restore cold chain
and maternal/newborn commodities (uterotonics, anti-eclampsia drugs in pregnancy such as MgSO₄,
antibiotics, resuscitation equipment, RUTF/RUSF); scale community screening and stabilization for
acute malnutrition.
Tigray/Ethiopia — Spotlight
Context: Fragile recovery with pockets of insecurity and constrained funding; damaged health
infrastructure and interrupted supply chains.
MNCH implications: Elevated maternal and perinatal risks; major gender based violence with uterine
insertion of non-medical devices to stop pregnancy; gaps in EmONC/newborn care; nutrition and
WASH shortfalls in remote areas.
Immediate asks: Rebuild EmONC and neonatal units with reliable power/water; bolster respectful
maternity care and newborn resuscitation capacity; ensure nutrition pipelines and transport; strengthen
surveillance for maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes.
What saves lives—fast
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A primary health care (PHC) approach, with strong referral links to emergency services, saves mothers and children—especially when combined with protection of health care and humanitarian access. Minimum lifesaving actions include:
a. Antenatal and intrapartum care with skilled birth attendance; EmONC capacity at referral centers, obstetric outreach services.
b. PPH prevention/management (oxytocin or heat-stable carbetocin where available; Ellavi highly effective uterine tamponade devices, misoprostol; tranexamic acid)
c. severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia management (magnesium sulfate, antihypertensives).
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Newborn care: thermal care, neonatal resuscitation, skin to skin (kangaroo) mother care, early/exclusive breastfeeding support, infection prevention and treatment.
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Immunization, including catch-up/outreach; Hepatitis B birth dose where timely administration is feasible.
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Prevention of vertical transmission (HIV, syphilis, HBV): routine testing, rapid treatment/ART, prophylaxis, and follow-up for exposed infants.
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Nutrition services: screening and treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM); micronutrient supplementation.
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WASH essentials and IPC in all facilities; mental health and psychosocial support for women, caregivers, and health workers.
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Safe, reliable referral and emergency transport, including community-linked dispatch models.
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Data for action: simple, timely indicators for maternal, perinatal, and newborn outcomes to guide local decisions.
MCAI’s call to action
To States and Parties to Conflict
1. Guarantee unhindered humanitarian access and protect health workers and facilities in line with international humanitarian law.
2. Enable sustained, deconflicted corridors and restore fuel/power for hospitals, water, communications, and the vaccine cold chain.
3. Remove administrative and customs barriers that delay lifesaving supplies for mothers and newborns.
To Donors and International Financial Institutions
4. Fully fund MNCH within humanitarian response plans, emphasizing flexible, multi-year financing to build continuity and quality.
5. Prioritize front-line PHC and EmONC capacity, including health worker protection, compensation, and psychosocial support.
To UN Agencies, Clusters, and Operational Partners
6. Mainstream MNCH across Health, Nutrition, and Protection clusters with clear targets, minimum service packages, and transparent reporting.
7. Secure commodity pipelines (e.g., uterotonics and intrauterine tamponade, MgSO₄, antibiotics, resuscitation equipment, vaccines, therapeutic foods).
8. Strengthen referral networks and emergency transport, with community engagement and inclusive risk communication.
To Media and Digital Platforms
9. Safeguard factual reporting, elevate verified needs/solutions for mothers and children, and counter disinformation that impedes access.
To Civil Society and Individuals
10. Advocate with elected officials and local authorities; support vetted humanitarian partners; share verified information that helps families reach care.
How MCAI will contribute
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Technical support to scale PHC and EmONC in crises, integrate prevention of vertical transmission, and maintain immunization.
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Training and mentorship for front-line teams in newborn resuscitation, PPH management, respectful maternity care, and care for small/sick newborns.
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Operational guidance on referral systems and emergency transport models adapted to constrained settings.
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Evidence synthesis and accountability, including simple dashboards tracking access, quality, and outcomes for mothers and children.
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Advocacy and partnership, amplifying local voices and coordinating with UN agencies, NGOs, and professional societies.
Accountability and measurement
We will track: (1) openings of access/safe corridor agreements affecting MNCH services; (2)
PHC/EmONC functionality and staffing; (3) availability of essential commodities; (4) coverage of key
MNCH interventions (e.g., skilled birth attendance, obstetric outreach, detection of fetal distress by
intrapartum monitoring by mothers, timely HepB birth dose, ART in pregnancy, syphilis
screening/treatment); and (5) trends in maternal, perinatal, and neonatal mortality and morbidity where
reporting is feasible.
Conclusion
Our position is principled and practical. Protect health care. Open access. Fund and deliver the proven
interventions that keep women and children alive. Mothers and children cannot wait.
Protect Mothers & Children in Crisis—Act Now