due to covid19 between october 2020 and september 2021 under the noadditional mitigation scenariothis number could fall drastically to 85821 cumulative deaths if all strategies were instituted it saidthe report said that disruption in sexual reproductive maternal neonatal and child health services due to covid19 is expected to have had a substantial impact on maternal and child mortalitythe number of deaths among children aged 5 years and less is estimated to increase by a total of 228641 across the six south asian countries in 2020 compared to the previous year the greatest increases are anticipated in india 154020 15 per cent increase and pakistan 59251 14 per cent increase respectivelythe number of stillbirths is also predicted to increase in the regionacross south asia as a whole an estimated 89434 additional stillbirths are anticipated as a result of reduced coverage of essential healthcare services at the countrylevel the largest increase in the number of stillbirths is expected in india 60179 10 increase followed by pakistan 39752 11 per cent increase and bangladesh 5502 3 per cent increasesimilarly the number of maternal deaths is also expected to increase in 2020 as a result of the pandemic with the highest number of deaths anticipated in india 7750 18 per cent increase and pakistan 2069 21 per cent increasedue to the expected reduction in coverage of modern contraceptive methods more than 35 million additional unintended pregnancies are expected in south asia with the highest number likely in india at about three millionthe number of deaths due to maternal causes among 1519 yearold females is estimated to increase by a total of 1191 across south asia in 2020 compared to the previous year with the greatest increases anticipated in india 643 and pakistan 476 respectivelythe report notes that a rise in communicable diseaserelated adolescent mortality is also likely across south asia as a whole an estimated 5943 additional deaths from malaria tb hivaids and typhoid are anticipated as a result of reduced treatment coverage india is expected to be hit hardest with an additional 3412 adolescent deathshowever increases in both adolescent maternal and communicable disease mortality are more than offset by the expected reduction in adolescent deaths as a result of fewer road accidentrelated deathsan estimated 8079 fewer adolescents are expected to die in 2020 as a result of traffic accidents across south asia as compared to the previous year with the greatest reduction in india 4145 followed by pakistan 2697the report said that as a result of prolonged school closures in response to the covid19 pandemic almost 9 million primary and secondary schoolaged children are expected to permanently drop out of schools with the highest number expected in india at around 7 millionthe disruption in education is also expected to have considerable economic costs over the long termacross south asia lower educational attainment by this cohort will result in a 15 23 per cent decrease in their future lifetime earnings costing the region 635 billion over 45 yearsthe highest cost will be borne