NAIROBI: In the last 15 years or so, the world, and in particular the developing nations, has stepped up efforts to lower maternal and childbirth mortality rates in accordance with the precepts of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four and five, which focus on reducing child mortality and improving maternal health care.
Of particular note is the tremendous progress that has been made to see the maternal mortality ratio drop by 45 per cent between 1990 and 2013, from 380 to 210 deaths per 100,000 live births according to a United Nations report.