India has reported a decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), from 130 points in 2014-16 to 97 points in 2018-20. As per the latest publication of SRS MMR bulletin, 2018-20, among States, as expected, Kerala has the lowest MMR at 19 while Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have reported significantly higher MMR at 195, 173 and 167 respectively.
None of the States have been, so far, able to bring the MMR to asingle digit. “Significant decline in the MMR from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-19. The various healthcare initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government to ensure quality maternal and reproductive care have helped tremendously in bringing down MMR,” tweeted Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births during the same time period.
An analysis of the data shows that most of the States under the “Empowered Action Group '' (EAG)category has high MMR, much above than the SDG lavel which is 70. For instance, except Jharkhand which has reported significant decline in MMR to touch to 56, Assam continue to have high MMR at 195 Bihar (118), Madhya Pradesh (173), Chhattisgarh (137), Odisha (119), Rajasthan (113), Uttar Pradesh (167) and Uttarakhand (103) Southern States category which include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu has reported an average MMR at 49. Andhra Pradesh has 45 , Telangana (43), Karnataka (69), Kerala (19) and Tamil Nadu (54). Other states like Gujarat have reported MMR at 57, Haryana (110), Maharashtra (33), Punjab (105), West Bengal (103).
