Nigeria ranks second on global maternal deaths, behind India – WHO
World Health Organisation (WHO) has ranked Nigeria as the second with the highest number of maternal, neonatal and child deaths in the world.
The latest report by WHO, released on May 9, revealed that India accounts for 17 per cent of global maternal, neonatal deaths and stillbirths, with 788 deaths per thousand in the same year while Nigeria accounts for 12% of global maternal, neonatal deaths and stillbirths, with 540 women and children dying “per thousand” in 2020.
Eight other countries with high maternal, neonatal and stillbirths are Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
However, the report titled “Improving maternal and newborn health and survival and reducing stillbirth: Progress Report 2023”, reveals that maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria have stagnated since 2015, with approximately 290,000 maternal deaths occurring annually.
The report also highlights that more women died in Nigeria from pregnancy-related issues than in India or any other country in 2020, with 82 women dying per thousand.
The report could also be as a result of population size, as India and Nigeria rank as among the most-populated countries in the world, with the former nearly reaching the one billion mark, and the latter with 200 million.
