She expects not only a baby boom but a rise in
unsafe abortions and post-abortion care, along
with panicky women seeking to remove their
IUD (intrauterine device) or birth control implant
earlier than expected as they fear no family
planning worker will be around to help them later.
Even the U.S. Embassy in Uganda has taken note
of the challenges women face, tweeting that
“Periods don’t pause for pandemics” and sharing
advice on how to make washable sanitary pads
at home.
The range of issues is similar across Africa, Shibru
in Zimbabwe said, citing a daily call with country
directors in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar
and elsewhere.
“Look, everything has been diverted to COVID,” he
said of the disease caused by the coronavirus. “But
after COVID, another catastrophe will be women’s
health, unless something is done right now.”