Since the beginning of the Safe Motherhood Initiative,
India has accounted for at least a quarter of
maternal deaths reported globally.
India’s
goal is to lower
maternal mortality to less than 100 per 100,000 livebirths but that is still far away despite its programmatic efforts and rapid economic progress over the past two decades. Geographical vastness and sociocultural diversity mean that
maternal mortality varies across the states, and
uniform implementation of
health-sector reforms is not possible. The
case study analyzes the
trends in
maternal mortality nationally, the maternal
healthcare-delivery system at different levels, and the implementation of national
maternal health programmes, including recent innovative
strategies. It identifies the causes for limited success in improving
maternal health and suggests
measures to rectify them. It recommends better
reporting of
maternal deaths and implementation of evidence-based, focused
strategies along with effective
monitoring for rapid progress. It also stresses the need for
regulation of the
private sector and encourages further
public-private partnerships and
policies, along with a strong political
will and improved
management capacity for improving
maternal health.