United Nations agencies have warned that cuts in aid will threaten the fragile progress in ending maternal deaths globally.
The warning is contained in a new report released on the World Health Day.
In the report, UN agencies highlighted the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.
The report, titled” Trends in maternal mortality,” shows a 40 per cent global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 – largely due to improved access to essential health services.
It showed that the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and that an estimated 260,000 women died in 2023 as a result of complications from pregnancy or childbirth – roughly equivalent to one maternal death every two minutes.
It was released as humanitarian funding cuts are having severe impacts on essential health care in many parts of the world, forcing countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health.
“These cuts have led to facility closures and loss of health workers, while also disrupting supply chains for lifesaving supplies and medicines such as treatments for haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and malaria all leading causes of maternal deaths.
“Without urgent action, the agencies warn that pregnant women in multiple countries will face severe repercussions particularly those in humanitarian settings where maternal deaths are already alarmingly high,” it said.
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said that while the report showed glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still was in much of the world today.
“In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls – factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”
According to him, the report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival.
In 2021, he said, an estimated 40 000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth increasing to 322 000 from 282 000 the previous year.
“This upsurge was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19, but also widespread interruptions to maternity services.
“This highlights the importance of ensuring such care during pandemics and other emergencies, noting that pregnant women need reliable access to routine services and checks as well as round-the-clock urgent care,”Ghebreyesus said.
The UNICEF Executive Director, Ms Catherine Russell said that when a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk.
“Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent.
“Global funding cuts to health services are putting more pregnant women at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, by limiting their access to essential care during pregnancy and the support they need when giving birth.
“The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive,” Russell said.
According to her, the report highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress.
“With maternal mortality declining by around 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains and was one of just three UN regions alongside Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia, to see significant drops after 2015.
“However, confronting high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts, the sub-Saharan Africa region still counted for approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023,” she said
She said maternal mortality stagnated in five regions after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Also, UNFPA’s Executive Director, Dr Natalia Kanem said that access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege.
“We all share the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn,
“By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies.”Kanem said.
She also highlighted persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress.
Kanem said that maternal mortality declined by around 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains and was one of just three UN regions alongside Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia, to see significant drops after 2015.
However, she said, confronting high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts, the sub-Saharan Africa region still counted for approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023.
She said that the highest risks were in Chad and the Central African Republic (one in 24), followed by Nigeria (one in 25), Somalia (one in 30), and Afghanistan (one in 40).
Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, she noted the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services and preventing underlying health conditions like anaemias, malaria and noncommunicable diseases that increase risks.
“It will be critical to ensure girls stay in school and that women and girls have the knowledge and resources to protect their health,” she said.
She called for urgent investment to prevent maternal deaths.
Globally, she said, the maternal mortality ratio would need to fall by around 15% each year to meet the 2030 target, significantly increasing from current annual rates of decline of around 1.5 per cent,” she said.
NAN
