Health

Every two minutes one woman dies during pregnancy, childbirth: UN

Published

4 years ago

February 23, 2023

A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth complications, despite maternal mortality rates dropping by a third in 20 years, the United Nations said Thursday.

Rates fell significantly between 2000 and 2015 but largely stagnated between 2016 and 2020 — and in some regions have even reversed, the UN said.

The overall maternal mortality rate dropped by 34.3 percent over a 20-year period — from 339 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 223 maternal deaths in 2020, according to a report by the World Health Organization and other UN agencies.

Nonetheless, that means nearly 800 women died per day in 2020 — or around one every two minutes.

Belarus recorded the biggest decline — down 95.5 percent — while Venezuela saw the highest increase. Between 2000 and 2015, the biggest rise was in the United States.

“While pregnancy should be a time of immense hope and a positive experience for all women, it is tragically still a shockingly dangerous experience for millions around the world,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“These new statistics reveal the urgent need to ensure every woman and girl has access to critical health services… and that they can fully exercise their reproductive rights.”

The report found that between 2016 and 2020, maternal mortality rates dropped in only two of the eight UN regions: in Australia and New Zealand by 35 percent, and in Central and Southern Asia by 16 percent.

The rate went up in Europe and Northern America by 17 percent, and in Latin America and the Caribbean by 15 percent. Elsewhere, it stagnated.

The two European countries witnessing “significant increases” are Greece and Cyprus, the report’s author Jenny Cresswell told journalists.

Maternal deaths remain largely concentrated in the world’s poorest regions and in conflict-affected countries.

Around 70 percent of those deaths recorded in 2020 were in sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate is “136 times bigger” than in Australia and New Zealand, Cresswell said.

In Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — all facing severe humanitarian crises — rates were more than twice the global average.

Severe bleeding, infections, complications from unsafe abortions and underlying conditions such as HIV/AIDS are among the leading causes of death, the report said — which are all largely preventable and treatable.

The WHO said it was “critical” that women had control over their reproductive health — particularly about if and when to have children, so that they can plan and space childbearing to protect their health.

Natalia Kanem, head of the UN Population Fund, said the rate of women “needlessly” dying was “unconscionable.”

“We can and must do better by urgently investing in family planning and filling the global shortage of 900,000 midwives,” she said.

While the report covers data up to 2020, the WHO’s Anshu Banerjee told journalists that the statistics since then look bleak, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.

Related Topics:childbirth featured pregnancy UN Woman

Up Next

More than 200 clinics to be built across Afghanistan: Health minister

Don't Miss

Mental health of 7 million children at risk after Turkey quakes

Health

German medical team launches free surgical mission at Bamiyan provincial hospital

The mission is funded by volunteer doctors and partner organisations, with essential medicines and medical equipment also brought into the country.

Published

1 day ago

November 10, 2026

Ariana News

A nine-member medical team from Germany has begun a two-week medical and surgical mission at Bamiyan Provincial Hospital, offering free specialised treatment to patients in need.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the team arrived in Afghanistan in coordination with the ministry and in partnership with Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS).

During the mission, the specialists will provide diagnostic and surgical services, including plastic surgery, burn treatment, correction of congenital deformities, war-related injuries and other complex medical conditions.

The team is expected to examine around 200 patients, with between 100 and 150 selected for surgical procedures.

In addition to treating patients, the German specialists will conduct theoretical and practical training sessions for Afghan doctors, surgeons and medical students to strengthen local medical expertise.

The ministry said the mission is funded by volunteer doctors and partner organisations, with essential medicines and medical equipment also brought into the country.

The initiative aims to improve access to free specialised healthcare, enhance the skills of Afghan medical professionals and strengthen surgical services in Afghanistan.

Health

Afghanistan to launch nationwide polio vaccination campaign

UNICEF said that 12.7 million children in Afghanistan have been vaccinated against polio through ongoing immunization campaigns.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan is set to launch a new nationwide polio vaccination campaign on Monday, November 2, as health authorities continue efforts to eradicate the disease, following the vaccination of 12.7 million children across the country.

Afghanistan’s Polio-Free Initiative announced that the campaign will begin nationwide on Monday, while vaccination activities in the southern zone will start a day later, on Tuesday, November 3.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that 12.7 million children in Afghanistan have been vaccinated against polio through ongoing immunization campaigns.

The UN agency noted that despite progress in vaccination coverage, efforts to completely eliminate polio in Afghanistan are continuing.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under the age of five and can cause permanent paralysis.

Health organizations have urged families to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that all eligible children receive the required vaccine doses to protect them against the disease.

Health

Afghanistan urges polio vaccination as cases reach 42

World Polio Day is observed annually on October 24 to raise awareness and strengthen global efforts to eliminate the disease.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 24, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan Free Polio has urged parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children against polio, warning of the continued need for vaccination efforts as the country marks World Polio Day on October 24.

In a message issued on Saturday, the organization called on families to ensure their children receive polio vaccines, stressing that every child has the right to grow up free from the disease.

The organization also emphasized the role of families and communities in preventing the spread of the virus and achieving a polio-free Afghanistan.

According to a previous report by the World Health Organization (WHO), six new polio cases had been recorded in Afghanistan, bringing the total number of cases reported since the beginning of 2026 to 42.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only countries where polio has not been eradicated.

World Polio Day is observed annually on October 24 to raise awareness and strengthen global efforts to eliminate the disease.

Health authorities and public health organizations continue to stress that vaccination and community participation are essential to protecting children and preventing further transmission of the virus.