The International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) is a major global gathering of policymakers, researchers, implementers, donors and advocates working to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. The conference provides a platform to share evidence, showcase innovations and strengthen partnerships to accelerate progress toward reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths worldwide.
At IMNHC 2026, Unitaid and its partners will highlight new approaches to improving access to lifesaving maternal and newborn health products and strengthening integrated service delivery. Through a range of sessions and interactive learning opportunities, Unitaid-supported initiatives will share lessons on accelerating the introduction and scale-up of key interventions – from preventing postpartum hemorrhage and treating maternal anemia to eliminating vertical transmission of infectious diseases and strengthening markets for essential health commodities.
Organized by the Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (EWENE) Health Products Working Group and Unitaid, this pre-conference symposium will highlight the critical role of quality health products in delivering effective maternal and newborn health services. The session will bring together stakeholders across the health product value chain to explore key barriers to access and identify practical solutions to improve availability and uptake.
Participants will hear data-driven presentations and join interactive discussions on maternal and newborn product access challenges. The session will also feature the launch of the EWENE “Pathway to improved access to quality MNH products” and Unitaid’s “Solutions for improving access to quality maternal and newborn health products” landscape. Speakers will also highlight Unitaid’s latest work to accelerate progress on priority areas such as preeclampsia and anemia in pregnancy.
Learn more: Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere: Unlocking Access to Quality Maternal and Newborn Health Products`
This interactive session will explore how integrated service delivery approaches can accelerate the elimination of vertical transmission of infectious diseases. Organized by PATH, Unitaid, and the International Community of Women Living with AIDS in East Africa, the session will highlight lessons from the SAFEStart+ initiative and related programs.
Participants will discuss innovations in integrated and differentiated service delivery, the essential role of communities in improving quality of care through community-led monitoring, and strategies to ensure reliable and affordable access to prevention tools. Unitaid will present insights from its investments in elimination of vertical transmission and priorities for strengthening integrated antenatal and postnatal care systems.
Despite global progress in maternal and newborn health, equitable access to essential quality-assured commodities remains limited. Fragmented procurement systems, regulatory barriers, high costs and persistent underfunding often delay the introduction and scale-up of life-saving products for decades.
This satellite session will examine why newly recommended maternal and newborn health products – such as medicines for postpartum hemorrhage, diagnostics for pre-eclampsia, and newborn care tools – take so long to reach scale. Through presentations and dialogue, participants will explore solutions across the value chain, including regulatory harmonization, pooled procurement, demand aggregation and regional manufacturing.
The session will also showcase initiatives such as SafeBirth Africa, the SADC Pooled Procurement Services, and other emerging partnerships working to accelerate national and regional access to critical MNH commodities.
Learn more: Stuck in the slow lane: How to speed access to essential new and underused MNH commodities
This session will present new evidence and emerging approaches to improving access to treatment for maternal anemia, a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Organized by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the session will present findings from a landscaping analysis of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and opportunities to expand its availability in low- and middle-income countries.
The discussion will also introduce the Unitaid-supported SUPREME initiative, which aims to accelerate access to ferric carboxymaltose through market shaping, product introduction and integrated service delivery strategies. Participants will explore how evidence generation, market interventions and program implementation can work together to expand access to effective anemia treatment for pregnant women.
Learn more: Unlocking Access to IV Iron: Accelerating Progress on Maternal Anemia
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a leading cause of maternal mortality globally. This participatory learning session will focus on strengthening prevention, early detection, and treatment of PPH in line with the latest WHO recommendations.
Delivered under the Unitaid-supported AMPLI-PPHI project, the session will provide hands-on demonstrations using training tools such as calibrated blood-loss drapes and simulations. Participants will rotate through interactive stations covering clinical practice, guideline implementation and real-world challenges related to product availability, procurement, pricing and quality assurance.
The session will conclude with facilitated discussions to synthesize insights and identify practical steps to strengthen the adoption of lifesaving PPH interventions in health systems.
