On September 10-11, 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya, Countdown 2030 (CD2030) and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) conducted a workshop to discuss the inequalities in RMNCH services in sub-Saharan Africa, assess current equity for RMNCH strategies, plans, monitoring frameworks and reviews, and agree on how evidence on RMNCH inequalities can better be incorporated into strategic and tracking structures. The workshop was conducted in partnership with WHO, the Inter-Parliamentarian Union, and UNICEF. Data from CD2030 and APHRC showed wealth-related inequalities, inequalities between urban and rural populations, and sub-national inequities in RMNCH coverage were still present. While significant progress has been made in coverage and reduction in mortality in rural areas, the poorest groups still had less RMNCH coverage and inequalities still existed between sub-national units in many countries. Inadequate access to the data, poor communication of existing data and low understanding of the data were still obstacles to improve the use of equity data. There was also limited evidence of efforts in government documents or digital platforms to track the progress of SDGs. Next steps will include sharing best practices for accurate data collection and using data to initiate policies, action and holding countries accountable. Roles and responsibilities of different constituencies will need to be specified in order to strengthen the use of data.

Citation: Regional Workshop on Reducing Inequalities in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in sub-Saharan Africa: Use of Data and Evidence for Action and Accountability (2019, September 10-11), CD2030 and APHRC, Nairobi, Kenya