This report from UNICEF (November 2020) presents a holistic picture of th eimpact of COVID-19 on children, of which disruption to essential child health services is an important part. Extracts below. Download full report here: https://www.unicef.org/reports/averting-lost-generation-covid19-world-ch...
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After almost one year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the impact of the virus on the world’s children and young people is becoming clearer – and increasingly alarming. Children face a trifecta of threats: direct consequences of the disease itself, interruption in essential services and increasing poverty and inequality.
Despite being less affected than any other age group, emerging data suggest that children and young people’s health may be more directly impacted by COVID-19 than originally anticipated when the crisis began in late 2019. Disruptions to essential services such as education, health care, nutrition and child protection interventions are harming children. A severe global economic recession is impoverishing children and compounding deep pre-existing inequalities and exclusion.
This World Children’s Day, UNICEF is taking stock of the global impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, laying out what we know from the latest available data and research, highlighting what is still unclear as well as the options for action, and urging the world to take bold and unprecedented steps to reimagine a better future for children.
How has COVID-19 impacted children?
- Around 2 million additional child deaths under age 5 and 200,000 additional stillbirths could occur over a 12-month period with worst-case interruptions to services and rising malnutrition.
- An additional 6 to 7 million children under age 5 may suffer from wasting or acute malnutrition
- 140 million additional children are living in monetary poor household due to COVID-19.
- COVID-19 has put a spotlight on the fact that 3 billion people globally have no access to a place to wash their hands; 700 children die every day from diseases caused by this lack of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene.10
- Gender-based violence is predicted to increase by another 15 million cases for every three months of COVID-19 lockdowns.
- Approximately 70 per cent of mental health services for children and adolescents are disrupted. Because most mental health conditions develop during adolescence, young people especially are at risk.
The disruption of services and their impact on children are both a supply and demand issue. Government lockdowns and the shutdown of schools and health centres restrict access, while fear of infection, distrust of institutions,
discrimination, transportation challenges and other factors play into the decisions by parents, caregivers, and children and young people to stay away from facilities and services.
Around one third of countries have had a drop of at least 10 per cent in coverage for routine vaccinations, outpatient care for childhood infectious diseases, and maternal health services... The top reasons for decline in
health services across these countries are reduction in demand due to fear of infection; mobility restrictions due to lockdown; and closure or postponement of services
The least developed countries have had a significantly higher rise in child poverty during COVID-19
UNICEF is calling on giovernments and partners to:
1 Ensure all children learn, including by closing the digital divide.
2 Guarantee access to health and nutrition services and make vaccines affordable and available to every child.
3 Support and protect the mental health of children and young people and bring an end to abuse, gender-based violence and neglect in childhood.
4 Increase access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene and address environmental degradation and climate change.
5 Reverse the rise in child poverty and ensure an inclusive recovery for all.
6 Redouble efforts to protect and support children and their families living through conflict, disaster and displacement.
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Neil Pakenham-Walsh, HIFA Coordinator, neil@hifa.org www.hifa.org
