NAIROBI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Greater investment in maternal, child and adolescent health should be a prerequisite in order to hasten pandemic recovery in low- and middle-income countries, campaigners said.

Speaking on Tuesday evening at a virtual side event during the UN high-level political forum for sustainable development, the international campaigners said that better health outcomes for women, children and youth will boost the sustainability agenda.

Helen Clark, Board chair of Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) and former New Zealand Prime Minister said that robust funding combined with policy reforms is key to reinvigorate the maternal and infant health agenda amid pandemic-related disruptions.

"We need to come together and address the maternal, child and adolescent health crisis created by the pandemic through better funding, partnerships and community engagement," said Clark.

Political leaders, senior policymakers and campaigners reviewed the progress on maternal and infant health organized by PMNCH in partnership with UN agencies.

Clark said governments should partner with the private sector and donors to address declining health outcomes for women, children and youth that have escalated due to the pandemic.

She noted that access to basic services like clean water, sanitation, reproductive health and nutrition has eluded vulnerable population groups in the pandemic era.

Clark said that strengthening the resilience of maternal, infant and adolescent health systems should inform efforts to hasten a pandemic recovery that is inclusive and sustainable.

Maziko Matemvu, a Malawian youth advocate said the pandemic has derailed efforts to improve the health of women, children and adolescents amid declining funding.

According to Matemvu, targeted investments and political goodwill is key to revive maternal and infant health programs that have stagnated amid shifting funding priorities occasioned by the pandemic.

She said that governments should increase the budget toward safe deliveries and contraceptives in order to reduce maternal deaths linked to complications arising from childbirth and unsafe abortions. Enditem

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