Child and Maternal Mortality
in Islamic Countries
11
Section-II. Maternal and Child Mortality Situations in OIC
Countries
In this section, we examine the current status and trends of maternal mortality ratios, child
mortality rates, and MNCH care utilization, including equity, in OIC countries. Table 2.1 shows
under-5 mortality rates (U5MR), maternal mortality ratios (MMR), and the numbers of maternal
deaths in the most recent period (2017 and 2015, respectively), and the average annual
reduction rates (i.e. average pace of reduction) of U5MR and MMR from 1990 to 2017 and 2015,
respectively, in 57 OIC countries.
Globally, overall U5MRwas 39 deaths per 1,000 births in 2017. In 26 OIC countries, U5MRs were
higher than the global average. Moreover, in 13 OIC countries, the U5MRs were more than twice
that of the global average. All these 13 countries with very high U5MR are located in the sub-
Saharan African region (Benin [U5MR:98], Burkina Faso [81], Cameroon [84], chad [123], Cote
d'Ivoire [89], Equatorial Guinea [90], Guinea-Bissau [84], Mali [106], Mauritania[79], Niger [85],
Nigeria [100], Sierra Leone [111], and Somalia [127]). In Asian region, Afghanistan and Pakistan
have exceedingly high U5MRs (68 and 75 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively).
Table 2.1: Under-5 mortality rates and maternal mortality ratios in OIC countries
Country U5MR
2017
Annual
reduction
rate of U5MR
(1990-2017)
MMR
2015
No. of
maternal
deaths
Annual
reduction
rate of MMR
(1990-2015)
African Group
Benin 98 -2.09 405 1571 -1.40
Burkina Faso 81 -3.16 371 2658 -2.66
Cameroon 84 -1.77 596 5050 -0.79
Chad 123 -1.93 856 5395 -2.08
Cote d’Ivoire 89 -1.90 645 5407 -0.57
Gabon 48 -2.29 291 149 -1.48
Gambia 64 -3.45 706 586 -1.48
Guinea 90 -2.44 342 100 -5.25
Guinea-Bissau 84 -3.43 549 371 -1.99
Mali 106 -3.07 587 4447 -2.15
Mozambique 72 -4.18 489 5316 -4.09
Niger 85 -4.71 553 5441 -1.81
Nigeria 100 -2.64 814 58058 -2.00
Senegal 45 -3.92 315 1787 -2.13
Sierra Leone 111 -3.03 1360 3116 -2.60
Togo 73 -2.45 368 944 -1.72
Uganda 49 -4.56 343 5713 -2.74
Arab Group
Algeria 24 -2.56 140 1307 -1.74
Bahrain 7 -4.02 15 2 -2.10
Comoros 69 -2.09 335 88 -2.52
Djibouti 62 -2.31 229 50 -3.21
Egypt 22 -4.72 33 822 -4.57