For many families, income plunges and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to doctors in Kenya and the US about the positive impact of giving cash to pregnant women and new mothers.

Dr Mona Hanna is a paediatrician, professor, public health advocate and director of the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Hospital Paediatric Public Health Initiative. Mona also runs Rx Kids in Flint, Michigan and across the state, it is the first community-wide programme in the US designed to address poverty as a root cause of health disparities through the provision of unconditional cash allowances to pregnant and new mothers.

Dr Miriam Laker-Oketta is the Senior Research Advisor at GiveDirectly, a non-profit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest people, no strings attached. Born and raised in Uganda, she initially trained and worked as an infectious diseases doctor. However, after becoming increasingly frustrated by her patients' late-stage disease presentations and their inability to afford basic medication and meet essential needs due to poverty, Miriam transitioned from medicine to direct cash aid.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Dr Mona Hanna credit Rx Kids. (R), Dr Miriam Laker-Oketta credit GiveDirectly.)