The Pioneer: Assam Must Fix Its High MMR Burden Soon

Assam Must Fix Its High MMR Burden Soon

The Pioneer, Sayatani Chatterjee, 16 October 2020

(Image courtesy of The Pioneer)

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 seeks to ensure health and well-being for all as a social capital. SDG 3, more specifically SDG 3.1, aims to reduce the global Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births by 2030. As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), maternal death is the demise of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. As per the goal laid down in the National Health Policy 2017, the target for MMR per 1,00,000 live births by 2020 is 100.

Figures from a special bulletin released by the Office of the Registrar General’s Sample Registration System (SRS) in July this year show that MMR in India stood at 113 in 2016-18. Although it has seen a reduction from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014-2016, the number is way behind the SDG target. The most disturbing figure comes from Assam where MMR is at 215. However, if one compares it to the 2012-13 data of the State, it has been significantly brought down from 301. Nevertheless, given India’s SDG commitment, immediate intervention is needed to bring down the ratio further.