Thursday, 18 March 2021, 8:09 am Severe disruptions in health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in an additional 239,000 child and maternal deaths in South Asia last year, United Nations agencies said on Wednesday. In a new report, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said that the impact also included sharp drops in the number of young children treated for severe acute malnutrition as well as in childhood immunizations. According to George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, the fall-off of these critical services has had a devastating impact on the health and nutrition of the