New Delhi: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) acknowledged India’s remarkable efforts to Reduce the Maternal Death by 70% Over 20 Years.
UNFPA’s Role in India’s Success: Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, presented a plaque and certificate to Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, underscored UNFPA’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with India to enhance women’s health and well-being.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements many programmes to enhance maternal health outcomes and attain zero preventable maternal deaths. These include guaranteed excellent and respectful maternity care through the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Yojana (SUMAN), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), and the Midwifery Services Initiative.
Dr. Kanem, UNFPA India Representative, praised India’s mammoth efforts to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) by an amazing 70% between 2000 and 2020. This puts the country on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) objective of an MMR of less than 70 before 2030. This astonishing improvement has saved the lives of thousands of women across the country, particularly those from underserved areas.
India’s Family Planning Programme: A Success Story. The Total Fertility Rate has fallen below the replacement threshold (TFR-2), a significant achievement. UNFPA’s role in this success is evident in the expansion of contraceptive options, including the recent additions of Subdermal Implants and injectable Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA).
The Ministry’s leadership in global reproductive health forums has been recognised. India plays a major role in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PMNCH) and the Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) global partnerships.
During the meeting, Dr. Kanem underlined UNFPA’s unwavering commitment to assisting India’s efforts to improve the health and well-being of women, girls, and youth.
As UNFPA celebrates 50 years of collaboration with the Government of India, this event is a watershed moment in their joint commitment to safeguard the health and well-being of every woman and young person in India as the country moves closer to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Dr Indu Grewal, Additional Commissioner (Family Planning/Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques/ABP), Dr Pawan Kumar, Additional Commissioner (Maternal Health & Immunisation), Dr Zoya Ali Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner (Nutrition & Adolescent Health), UNFPA delegates, and other senior Ministry officials attended the event.
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Photo Courtesy: WHO
