Eight countries have pledged more than $175m to expand access to contraceptives and reproductive, maternal and newborn health supplies.
Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia have scaled-up domestic investment, whilst Belgium and Luxembourg have committed landmark contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Supplies Partnership.
Key commitments
Ethiopia, Ghana and Honduras committed $150m over the next three years, $1.4m and $944,585 in 2026, respectively.
Nigeria announced an investment of more than $1m for life-saving maternal health medicines.
Senegal committed $886,000 for contraceptives and pledged to scale up the E-MOTIVE approach, including the calibrated drape – a device that helps earlier and more accurate detection of life-threatening bleeding after childbirth.
Zambia committed $7.5m for reproductive health supplies and an additional $4.5m for last-mile distribution in a bid to ensure supplies reach women in remote areas.
Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Republic of Zambia, said: “Reproductive health commodities are not donor commodities, they are essential health commodities that must be financed, managed and delivered as part of our national health system and our broader Universal Health Coverage agenda.”
Belgium and Luxembourg announced a contribution of $4m each to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership.
Anne Goedert, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations, said: “At a time when funding cuts threaten hard-won progress, we must not retreat from our commitments.
“We must act collectively to protect and expand access to life-saving health commodities. Luxembourg continues to stand alongside UNFPA and all committed partners to support the health, rights and futures of women and girls everywhere.”
Funding cuts to women’s health programmes
The announcements, made during the 79th World Health Assembly, come amid growing concern over global funding cuts to women’s health programmes – set to leave a $185m gap in contraceptive funding in 2026 alone.
The UNFPA welcomed the commitments at a critical moment for women’s health, where more than 700 women are dying every day from preventable complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
A push to invest in essential health supplies
The investments mark a major push by governments to increase domestic investment in essential supplies that prevent maternal deaths, unintended pregnancies and newborn complications.
Since 2020, the UNFPA reports, domestic investment in contraceptives and maternal health supplies has increased more than sixfold across 54 UNFPA Supplies programme countries.
Several of the recent commitments will be matched dollar for dollar by UNFPA through the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Match Fund and Maternal and Newborn Health Commodities Accelerator.
Featured image: World Health Organization
