By:- Team VOH
23 May 2024
Global progress in improving maternal, newborn, and child survival has stalled, according to an article published in The Lancet by Ali Hajji Adam from Somalia's Ministry of Health and Mekdes Dab from Ethiopia's Ministry of Health.
Despite advancements between 2000 and 2015, many regions continue to face high rates of maternal and child mortality. Ongoing and new conflicts, climate change, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have combined to reverse gains made during the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) era.
The world is not on track to meet targets for reducing maternal mortality (SDG 3.1) and ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years old (SDG 3.2). In 2020, 287,000 women died from maternal causes, averaging 223 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. In 2022, 4.9 million children under 5 years old died globally, with 2.3 million of these deaths occurring within the first month of life. Additionally, nearly 1.9 million babies were stillborn in 2021. By 2030, 46 countries are projected to have maternal mortality ratios greater than 140 deaths per 100,000 live births, 59 countries will miss the under-5 mortality target, and 64 countries will miss the neonatal mortality target.
Many of these deaths are preventable. Over 70% of maternal deaths are due to obstetric causes like hypertension, sepsis, abortion, and embolism. Prematurity is the leading cause of under-5 mortality, with birth trauma, asphyxia, acute respiratory infections, malaria, diarrhea, and congenital anomalies also being significant contributors. Despite knowing these facts, the global health community has done little to address them. Numerous approaches could be tailored to each challenge, but political will is lacking.
The World Health Assembly Resolution on maternal, newborn, and child health is crucial for future progress. Initiated by Somalia and co-sponsored by countries including Botswana, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania, the Resolution is gaining support from other member states. It aims to tackle persistent disparities in maternal, newborn, and child health and calls for urgent action to address inequities across the life course, creating resilient health systems focused on primary health care.
Healthy and empowered women, children, and adolescents are central to the transformational change envisioned by the 2030 Agenda. Investing in their wellbeing leads to healthier communities, vibrant economies, and more prosperous, peaceful, and resilient societies. The entire continuum of care must be considered, starting with the health and wellbeing of parents before conception and following through all stages of a newborn’s, child’s, and adolescent’s life. Otherwise, the global community risks viewing the SDG era as a failure for vulnerable mothers and children.
Fortunately, effective strategies are known. These include high-quality essential health and nutrition services, a multipronged approach to maximize resources and address workforce shortages, stronger primary health care delivery, prioritizing the hardest-to-reach communities, and universal access to reproductive and sexual health services. Implementing these strategies requires political will, unerring commitment, and consistent investments. Massively accelerated action is needed, making the Resolution vital, emphasized Ali Hajji Adam and Mekdes Dab in The Lancet.
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