The Sustainable Development Goals and maternal mortality
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include a specific target to reduce maternal mortality, which is Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Specifically, SDG target 3.1 aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
The SDGs recognize that maternal mortality is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. To achieve this target, several interventions are needed, such as improving access to quality maternal health services, including antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, and emergency obstetric care. Additionally, efforts are needed to address underlying social determinants of maternal mortality, such as poverty, gender inequality, and lack of education.
The SDGs also call for increased investments in research and development of new technologies and innovations to improve maternal health outcomes. This includes developing new drugs and vaccines, as well as strengthening health systems and building the capacity of healthcare workers.
Several indicators have been developed to measure progress towards achieving SDG target 3.1. These include the maternal mortality ratio, the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel, and the availability of emergency obstetric care.
While progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality in many countries, there is still much work to be done to achieve the SDG target. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the fragility of maternal health systems and the need for continued investment and support to ensure that progress toward reducing maternal mortality is not reversed.
In conclusion, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mortality has been significant, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It has disrupted essential maternal and reproductive health services, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-related complications. The SDGs recognize the importance of reducing maternal mortality and call for a multi-faceted approach to achieve this goal. Continued investments in improving maternal health services and addressing social determinants of maternal mortality are crucial to ensure progress towards reducing maternal mortality is not reversed.
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