by Mehr Gul Shah, Teesta Dey, Sophie Marie Kostelecky, Maria El Bizri, Mariana Rodo, Neha S Singh, Samira Aboubaker, Egmond Samir Evers, Per Ashorn, Etienne V Langlois
BMJ Global Health. 29 March 2024;9:e013944. DOI:10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013944
Introduction: Progress related to sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (SRMNCAH) has stalled. COVID-19, conflict and climate change threaten to reverse decades of progress and to ensure the health and well-being of vulnerable populations in humanitarian and fragile settings going forward. There is also a need for tailored guidance for women, children and adolescents. This review seeks to map and appraise current resources on SRMNCAH in humanitarian and fragile settings.
Methods: In line with the updated Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews framework, a manual literature review was conducted of global and regional guidance published between January 2008 and May 2023 from members of the Global Health Cluster, the Global Nutrition Cluster and the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises. A content analysis was conducted. Scores were then calculated according to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II scoring tool and subsequently categorised as high quality or low quality.
Results: A total of 730 documents were identified. Of these, 141 met the selection criteria and were analysed. Available guidance for delivering SRMNCH services exists, which can inform policy and programming for the general population and women, children and adolescents. Important gaps related to beneficiaries, health services and health system strengthening strategies were identified.
Conclusion: The review revealed there is evidence-based guidance available to support these interventions, including: pregnant and lactating women, women of reproductive age, adolescents, newborns, small vulnerable newborns, stillbirths, refugees and internally displaced persons and women, children and adolescents with disabilities. However, gaps related to beneficiaries, health services and health system strengthening strategies must be addressed in updated guidance that is created, disseminated and monitored in a standardised way and that is mindful of the need to respond rapidly in humanitarian and fragile settings.