Child and Maternal Mortality
in Islamic Countries
13
Afghanistan has the highest maternal mortality estimate in Asia (396 deaths per 100,000 live
births), followed by Pakistan (178) and Bangladesh (176). Two OIC countries in South America,
Guyana and Suriname, have comparatively very high maternal mortality ratios: 229 and 156
deaths per 100,000 live births, respectively. The overall MMR in South America is much lower -
- 60 deaths per 100,000 live births.
2.1. Prospects of achieving SDG-3.1 and 3.2 in OIC Countries
The UN MMEIG estimates that countries will need to reduce their MMRs at an annual rate of
reduction of at least 7·5% to achieve the SDG-3.1 by 2030. 26 None of the OIC countries has
experienced an annual reduction rate of MMR of 7.5%or more. However, 25 of 57 OIC countries,
predominately in Middle East region, have reached MMR of less than 70 maternal deaths per
100,000 live births by 2015. It is expected that many of the OIC countries will not be able to
achieve SDG-3.1 at the current rate of MMR reduction.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Global Burden of Diseases (GBD)
Group also examine the prospects of achieving SDG-3.1 and 3.2, and universal access to SDG-3
related target indicators. 27 The results of MMR projections for the 38 OIC countries that are
included in the COMCEC’s Poverty Alleviation Working Group are shown in Figure 2.1. Of 38
countries, 22 countries are projected to have higher than 70 MMR by 2030.
The SDG 3.1 target is set at the global level, not at the individual country level. The World Health
Organization’s strategic program Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) sets a target
for the countries: no country to have an MMR greater than 140 deaths per 100,000 live births
by 2030. In 20 countries (Afghanistan, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia,
Guinea, Indonesia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Somalia, Sudan, Togo and Uganda), it is expected that the MMR will remain at a higher level than
140 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 – two times higher than the target of SDG-3.1.
The prospects of achieving SDG 3.2 to reduce under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000
live births and neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030 for 38
OIC countries are shown in Figure 2.2 and 2.3, respectively. Of the 38 OIC countries, 19 are
unlikely to achieve SDG 3.2 by 2030. These countries are Afghanistan, Benin, Cameroon, Chad,
Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo and Uganda.