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IJOPP · Lens · India's Progress towards the health related Millennium Development Goals – Maternal Health

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Article · Volume 5, Issue 3 · pp. 1-4

India's Progress towards the health related Millennium Development Goals – Maternal Health

Patel I1,2,6, Chang J1,2,6, Srivastava J3, Patel I4, Balkrishnan R1,2,5,6

  1. 1Clinical, Social and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109- 1065, USA.
  2. 2Center for Medication Use, Policy, and Economics, The University of Michigan, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1065, USA.
  3. 3E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, 220 Scripps Hall, Athens,OH, 45701-2979, USA.
  4. 4Patel Hospital, Somnath Park, Panchavati, Nasik, Maharashtra 422003, INDIA.
  5. 5Department of Health Management and Policy, The University of Michigan, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1065, USA.
  6. 6Center for Global Health, The University of Michigan, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1065, USA.

Abstract

With a significant percentage of world population in India, global emphasis on improving maternal health in India has increased. Though India has made some progress in reducing the maternal mortality rate, it is still far from the MDG target. From a structural perspective, the slow progress towards more efficient maternal health care is rooted in issues like inadequate manpower, infrastructure and other resources like medicines and emergency facilities. However, the problem may have deeper roots in the socio political environment in India. These may be manifested in the lack of political and social will to focus on maternal healthcare, social perceptions of grass root healthcare workers like 'auxiliary nurse midwives', and prioritized attention to population control initiatives like family planning. This article presents an overview and analysis of India's progress towards implementing maternal health initiative, and of cultural and socio political factors which may be influencing this progress.

Keywords: Maternal health; mortality rate; healthcare infrastructure; socio-political factors

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