Countdown researchers will host a side session and present in panel sessions at the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026. The conference is taking place 23-26 March in Nairobi, Kenya.
The side session will take place on 24 March from 9:45-13:00 in Breakout Room 8 and will present an opportunity to:
- Discuss the importance of building analytical capacity in sub-Saharan African countries to assess data quality, integrate available data sources, and analyze and use available data on maternal and newborn health;
- Showcase products from the annual Countdown to 2030 multi-country workshop as a model for country capacity;
- Present key findings from Countdown’s multi-country study on maternal and newborn health and equity analyses; and
- Learn how data can be better used to inform policies and programs and to drive accountability.
Presenters will include Dr. Jennifer Requejo from Johns Hopkins University and the Global Financing Facility (GFF), Dr. Cheikh Mbacke Faye from the African Population and Health Research Center, Prof. Agbessi Amouzou from Johns Hopkins University, Prof Aluisio J. D. Barros from Pelotas University, Prof. Pierre Akilimali from the University of Kinshasa, Dr. Choolwe Jacobs from University of Zambia, and Dr. Bruno Lankoandé from Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population. There will also be representatives from UN partners, the GFF and civil society.
The panel session titled Innovative collaborations for improving MNH care quality and access will be presented by Dr. Kananura Muhumuza from African Population and Health Research Center, on 25 March and from 11:00-12:00 in the Amphitheatre. The presentation will focus on advancing RMNCAH monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa through a Countdown to 2030 for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health collaboration, a harmonized health facility data analysis system
The panel session titled Improving quality across the continuum of care will be presented by Dr. Elizabeth Hazel from Johns Hopkins University on 25 March and from 12:30-1:30 in the Sapphire Tent. The presentation will discuss how a continuum of care analysis identified critical gaps in maternal newborn health coverage across more than 13 countries.