Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A world that still waits

More resources need to be diverted to reduce MMR in developing and underdeveloped countries, particularly from military spending

Every time a woman dies while giving birth to a child due to an inefficient and ill equipped medical facilities it is a crippling shame for humanity. Considering how such tragedies still happen in huge numbers, it’s evident that we aren’t really learning or repenting enough.

Recent data revealed by The Lancet, a UK-based medical journal, showed that for the first time in decades, the world has seen a significant decline in death due to pregnancy and childbirth to 342,900 in 2008 from 526,300 in 1980. But the death toll in developing and underdeveloped countries remains pretty startling. Around 85% of the world’s maternity-related deaths take place in Africa alone. Sierra Leone has the highest MMR, as 2,000 out of 1,00,000 population die every year. Over 36,000 women die every year in Nigeria.