The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many inequities in our global society, and not just with regards to vaccine access. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where access to food and health care has always been fraught and uneven, millions are suffering from undernutrition and related illness as the pandemic disrupted supply chains and overburdened health systems. And for many pregnant women in LMICs, who are often marginalized during emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic truly exacerbated an ongoing crisis.

For nearly twenty years, the Kirk family has been leading the effort to improve the lives of women and infants in LMICs with donations of United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMMAP MMS), a nutritional supplement containing 15 vitamins and minerals that are crucial for pregnant women. UNIMMAP MMS is similar to the prenatal vitamins most women in high-income countries take as a matter of course during their pregnancies.

As I sat across from Spencer in his boardroom, he handed me a small bottle of UNIMMAP MMS with the Kirk Humanitarian logo on it. “It’s not for my ego,” the businessman-turned-philanthropist explained, “I want my children to know what our family’s values are.”

The challenge now is adoption, distribution and financial support. Reaching 225 million pregnant mothers in over 80 countries is no small task. It will require greater advocacy, governmental intervention and donations if the maternal nutrition community is to reach this ambitious goal. 60M receive nothing by way of antenatal care. 140M get IFA. To reach the global MMS need would cost roughly $500 million a year. For that Kirk Humanitarian needs the help of more philanthropists. “$500 million a year would take care of the inequity that exists between rich and poor. All women would get what those in high-income countries do.” Kirk said.

Read the full article about easing access to care for pregnant women by Michael Sheldrick at Forbes.