8 States achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for MMR

New Delhi: India has reported a significant decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said in an official statement.

Congratulating the country on the achievement, he tweeted; “Significant Decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20. The various healthcare initiatives of PM @NarendraModi Ji’s Govt to ensure quality maternal and reproductive care helped tremendously in bringing down MMR.”

As per the Special Bulletin on MMR released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the Maternal Mortality Ratio of India has improved by a spectacular 6 points and now stands at 97/ lakh live births. The Maternal Mortality Ratio is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births.

As per the statistics derived from Sample Registration System, the country has witnessed a progressive reduction in the Mortality Ratio from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, 103 in 2017-19 and to 97 in 2018-20:

Upon achieving this, India has accomplished the National Health Policy target for MMR of less than 100/lakh live births and is on the right track to achieve the SDG target of MMR less than 70/ lakh live births by 2030.

The outstanding progress made in terms of the number of states which have achieved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target, the number has now risen from six to eight leading with Kerala (19), followed by Maharashtra (33), then Telangana (43) and Andhra Pradesh (45), subsequently Tamil Nadu (54), Jharkhand (56), Gujarat (57) and lastly Karnataka (69).