India is steadily advancing on the track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to less than 70/lakh live births by 2030.
The targeted interventions by the Government of India with the objective of addressing all aspects of maternal care have translated into a consistent decline in MMR over the last nine years. MMR in the country has witnessed a progressive reduction from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, 103 in 2017-19 and97 in 2018-20. The Government’s major focus area, in striving to bring down maternal mortality, has been to address the actual causes of mortality and morbidity among women and deliver solutions to eliminate these causes. The emphasis has been on ensuring a continuum of care to address maternal and child health in a holistic manner, by providing excellent healthcare facilities to pregnant women, right from the early stages of the pregnancy to postpartum care. Schemes, like Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN), Labour Room & Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya), POSHAN Abhiyaan,Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana among others, are being implemented keeping in mind the requirement of a range of medical facilities, right from testing and regular check-ups, to facilities for smooth delivery and postnatal care of both mother and child.
