As per data gathered by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Odisha has reported a steep 10.7% decline in the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR). It is, in fact, one of the top-performing states in this aspect.
The MMR is a key parameter to determine health accessibility and indicates the number of pregnant women who have died during pregnancy, or immediately after delivery. The data, assessed over a two-year period, indicates that from an initial MMR of 168 deaths per one lakh live births in 2015-17, the figure has come down to 150 in 2016-18. Among states with a high MMR, Rajasthan has shown the most promising results – followed by Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
The MMR in Odisha has declined by 18 basis points (10.7%), while that in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh has been 22 points (11.8%) and 19 points (8.7%) respectively. The national average has seen a fall in MMR by 9 points (7.3%).
The primary causes of maternal deaths include complications during delivery, postpartum infections and unsafe abortions.
Despite significant progress in reducing the MMR, there still exist several hurdles in last-mile healthcare delivery networks. Due to the lack of all-weather roads, many villages are inaccessible. Hence, shifting pregnant women to hospitals is often a challenge, even for the few ambulances deputed. Yet, the outlook is still optimistic; health officials say that success may only be achieved by focused policymaking, financial assistance for mothers who come to hospitals, and the establishment of maternity care homes in remote villages.