The pandemic has led to major disruption to health services around the world, including disruption to child and maternal health services. According to a World Bank expert COVID-19 has put years of global progress to end preventable child deaths in serious jeopardy. 

In Africa in particular, maternal checkups and child vaccinations have fallen because many people fear catching the disease at clinics and hospitals.

In this episode Prof Salome Maswime, Head of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town and Omnia Health Live Africa speaker, shares her perspective on the problem.

Prof Maswime is recognised as a maternal health and global surgery expert because of her research contributions on caesarean sections. She is an advocate for women’s health rights, and equity in surgical and maternal care. She is also an advisor and consultant to several institutions.

Recently she was announced as one of the World Economic Forum’s Class of 2020 Young Scientists, a group at the forefront of scientific discovery.