44% Fall in Maternal Deaths: MOH

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has said that maternal deaths have declined by 44 per cent between 1990 and 2015. 

MoH has said that there has been a drastic decline in deaths during childbirth. “In 2002, a total of 37.5 deaths were recorded for every 100,000 live births which declined to 13.4 deaths in 2016,” Dr Salwa Gabbar al Shihabi, specialist in social medicine, Department of Child and Mother Health, MoH, said.

She said that the ministry has a committee that records every maternal death. “This committee was formed in 1991 to record the causes of these deaths and the measures taken for their prevention across the country.”

Dr Salwa said that the primary reason for maternal deaths is the quality of healthcare service provided to women during pregnancy and delivery.

“The ministry aims to create awareness among families that early registration of a pregnant woman at a specialised clinic is important as experts track each stage of pregnancy leading to the birth of a healthy child.”