Maternal Mortality Declines, but Sub-Saharan Africa Still Hard Hit

Despite a global decline in maternal mortality, Sub-Saharan Africa remains severely affected, largely due to fragile health systems and unequal access to care.

In 2020, 70% of global maternal deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite a 40% overall decline in maternal mortality since 2000, according to a WHO report. This improvement is attributed to better support during childbirth and expanded healthcare coverage. However, one maternal death was still occurring every two minutes that year.

Mortality rates remain very high in low- and middle-income countries, largely due to fragile health systems and a lack of qualified personnel. The leading causes of death are preventable complications such as hemorrhages and post-delivery or post-abortion infections. Women living in conflict zones or humanitarian crisis settings, such as in Chad, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Somalia, and Afghanistan , are the most vulnerable.

To address this ongoing crisis, it is essential to strengthen health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa by investing in the training and deployment of qualified medical personnel, particularly in rural and remote areas. Special attention must also be given to women living in conflict zones or humanitarian crisis situations to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare.