Lagging behind

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Stabroek News - Guyana’s dismal record on maternal mortality would have contributed to the near-fail the region received on this target when the 2013 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report was released on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.
While Latin America and the Caribbean was referred to as one region for most of the report, the fifth goal—‘Reducing Maternal Mortality’—was one where there was significant disparity between what obtains in the Caribbean (Guyana included) and the situation in Latin America. The report said: “Maternal mortality in the Caribbean remains high, with 190 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010, and accelerated action is urgently needed to meet the MDG target of reducing the ratio by three-quarters. Latin America has a much lower maternal mortality ratio, with 72 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010.” While cumulatively, the Caribbean’s figure was 190/100,000, Guyana’s was much higher, stated as 280 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010. This is according to statistics compiled by the World Bank.
The maternal mortality rate is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). It includes deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, for a specified year.