By Abdullahi Lukman
The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem, has revealed a remarkable 40 percent reduction in global maternal mortality rates since the year 2000.
This significant milestone was announced in a statement coinciding with World Health Day 2025, celebrated annually on April 7, which raises awareness about health issues worldwide.
The year-long campaign, titled “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” aims to galvanize governments, healthcare providers, and communities to intensify efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
This initiative emphasizes the need to prioritize women’s health and well-being, not just during pregnancy and childbirth, but also throughout their lives.
In her statement, Kanem highlighted a pivotal achievement: for the first time, no country is classified as having an “extremely high” maternal mortality rate exceeding 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.
This indicates a global trend towards improved maternal health, with more women now able to access quality care during pregnancy and childbirth.
Kanem attributed these improvements to advancements in medical technology, greater awareness, and increased access to respectful, high-quality maternal care.
However, she cautioned that these gains often obscure significant disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations and regions.
She pointed out that in areas where healthcare systems are fragile or affected by prolonged crises, maternal mortality rates remain stagnant or are even on the rise.
For instance, Kanem said, in conflict-affected countries, women face a mortality risk from pregnancy and childbirth complications that is twice the global average.
These statistics underline the urgent need for targeted interventions in these high-risk regions.
Despite the encouraging trend of more births occurring in healthcare facilities, Kanem noted that the quality of care can vary dramatically. Poor-quality care contributes to approximately half of all maternal deaths, with many health systems struggling with shortages of essential medicines, equipment, and trained personnel.
This issue is compounded by systemic discrimination and inequities that deprive women—especially those from marginalized communities—of the necessary reproductive choices and adequate maternal care.
Even in wealthier nations, where healthcare standards are generally high, disparities persist. Marginalized groups often experience disproportionately higher rates of maternal mortality, indicating that socio-economic factors play a significant role in health outcomes.
To combat these challenges, Kanem emphasized the critical role of midwives in improving maternal health. She stated that expanded midwifery care can effectively detect risks and manage complications while also reducing healthcare costs.
Yet, despite clear evidence that universal access to midwives could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, there remains a global shortfall of nearly one million midwives.
In light of these findings, Kanem called for strong political commitments, adequate financial resources, and supportive laws to create lasting change in maternal health.
She urged stakeholders to prioritize investments that would lead to the elimination of preventable maternal deaths.
“On this World Health Day, let us recommit ourselves to building healthier, more just societies,” she declared. “We must ensure that every woman bringing life into this world can not only survive childbirth but thrive in the years that follow.”