The World Health Organization has announced a global initiative to reduce and, eventually, to end preventable maternal mortality. Significant targets should be attained by 2030.
Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) aims to achieve an average global maternal mortality ration of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by the year 2030. As well, all countries in the world should lessen their individual maternal mortality rate by two thirds of the level documented in 2010. No individual country should have more than 140 maternal deaths per 100,000 by 2030.
The WHO acknowledges the success of many countries who have already reduced their maternal mortality rates. All countries, however, must set and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to surpass the 2.9% reduction in maternal deaths globally that took place between 2000 and 2017. Though any reduction in maternal deaths is a success, the percentage is significantly less than what the SDG target goals indicated.
The Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) will be linked to EPMM efforts wherever possible so that countries who are developing programs for newborns can include considerations for the prevention of maternal mortality at the same time.
The EPMM management team is chaired by the WHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Together, they are working to implement the initiative and establish markers that indicate progress.
