The Maldives has seen a stunning 90 percent plunge in its maternal death rate over the last 25 years, the largest such drop in the world over this time period, according to joint United Nations estimates.
According to the UN’s Trends in Maternal Mortality report, out of every 100,000 live births, 677 women died of pregnancy-related causes in 1990, and that number stood at 68 last year. This amounts to a 9.2 per cent decline in the country’s maternal mortality ratio every year for 25 years.
According to the report, the world saw only a 2.3 per cent annual decline in the maternal death ratio during the same period.
“Two decades ago, the Maldives faced enormous hurdles to delivering maternal health care. For one thing, its residents are spread across 187 islands. Only four islands have more than 5,000 inhabitants,” the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said. On top of that, the country’s health system was underdeveloped, with only a few regional hospitals able to provide emergency obstetric care.
UNFPA said health staff shortages still remain a major concern, and Specialist services are dependent on foreign professionals, leaving the health system vulnerable to their departure.
“And in this conservative community, sexual and reproductive health services are geared toward couples, a fact that makes it difficult for young, unmarried people to access contraceptives and reproductive health information,” the agency added. But young people are in need of these services. Many of the country’s current maternal deaths are the result of complications of abortion. And the contraceptive prevalence rate has fallen in recent years, it said.
UNFPA said it is now turning its attention to young people, advocating for sexuality education in schools and encouraging policies that improve their access to reproductive health care.