The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged every country in the world. Health systems are being stretched by increasing demand for care of people with COVID-19. When health systems are overwhelmed and people fail to access needed care, both direct mortality from an outbreak and indirect mortality from preventable and treatable conditions increase dramatically. Therefore, it is important to ensure continuity of essential health services in order to prevent illness and death from non-COVID-19 disease while responding to the demand for COVID-19 patient.
Since the start of COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Government of Cambodia has taken swift actions and implemented a robust response while ensuring the continuity of essential health services and programmes. From mid-March 2021, the number of COVID-19 cases has significantly increased including among pregnant women, newborns and children. Ensuring all women of reproductive age including pregnant women, mothers and their children continue to have access to quality care before, during and after childbirth is a priority of the National Maternal and Child Health Center (NMCHC) of the Ministry of Health. WHO, UNFPA and other health partners have jointly supported NMCHC to develop guidance on how to organize services during the pandemic for nationwide implementation.
Measures to prevent infection and patient safety by setting up safe screening and triage areas at the entrance of NMCHC.
© NMCHC
As one of the national hospitals, NMCHC has taken preventive measures to improve infection prevention and control such as establishing screening and triage for all patients who come to access services. Isolation rooms have been organized for pregnant women with COVID-19.
Isolation room in NMCHC's compound dedicated for delivery service of pregnant women with COVID-19.
© NMCHC
Between 18 April 2021 and 06 July 2021, 206 pregnant women with COVID-19 had safely delivered including 33 by cesarean section. These safe deliveries were made possible by the support of WHO, US-CDC and Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital (KSFH) who supported NMCHC to set up an operation room for COVID-19 positive pregnant women with complications requiring operative delivery.
WHO continues the joint effort with health partners to support NMCHC to guide the national response to keep Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services safe and accessible.