Topic: 2025 – Maternal Mortality
Country: China
Delegate Name: Jasmine Mand
World Health Organization
Maternal Morality
People’s Republic of China
Jasmine Mand
Forest Hills Eastern
Maternal mortality has remained a significant issue in many countries, with approximately 260,000 women dying during or following pregnancy in 2023. Dangerous conditions have also resulted in numerous newborn deaths in many developing nations, even though most of these fatalities are preventable. Many people, especially in Africa, cannot afford or have access to medications due to violent civil wars and poverty. To ensure proper treatment, accessibility to pre- and postnatal care is vital. Severe complications like bleeding, infections, and unsafe abortions have led to 75% of maternal deaths. Several countries also lack adequate diagnostic tools, such as telehealth and remote monitoring to track heartbeat, oxygen saturation, and infections like sepsis. The UN has established specific targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3.1), which aim to reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 lives by 2030. The UN Secretary General also launched Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) to mobilize political will and financing partnerships. China has made significant improvements in meeting the goals of the SDGs and the Millennium Development Goals. From 80 lives per 100,000 in 1990, China has dropped to 15 lives per 100,000 in 2022. China acknowledges this critical issue and will provide financial aid and technical assistance to other countries.
China acknowledges the critical issue of maternal mortality and is committed to global collaboration to address it. While the country has made progress in reducing maternal mortality, particularly in urban areas, there is a strong focus on improving maternal health in rural communities, where access to antenatal care and skilled birth attendants is more limited. The “One Child Policy” played a role in lowering fertility rates, which led to a decrease in mortality rates. China has also developed a comprehensive healthcare system, featuring around 26,000 maternal health facilities spread throughout the country. This guarantees that most people live within a close distance from a health center, allowing pregnant women to receive affordable and quality care. Currently, antenatal care and postpartum service coverage surpass 90%, and hospital delivery rates are high at over 99%. These factors have contributed to China’s success in achieving low maternal mortality rates. These initiatives led to national programs such as the Basic Public Health Service Program and the Healthy China 2030 initiative, which aim to expand prenatal checkups and accessible emergency obstetric care, particularly in rural settings. In April 2016, the government introduced the Five Strategies for Maternal and Newborn Safety (FSMNS), focusing on critical areas like pregnancy risk screening and maternal death reporting. They have established a unified risk assessment system to categorize pregnant women according to risk levels. This allows for each woman to receive tailored care and puts those at high risk above others in need of care. On an international level, China has engaged in efforts to improve maternal health globally. For instance, in 2018, they donated $2 million to support Sierra Leone in tackling maternal deaths and addressing cervical cancer. They also provided essential medicines and medical equipment such as oxytocin, portable ultrasound machines, and surgical kits for cesarean sections, alongside the construction of maternal health hospitals and the deployment of the 26,000 Chinese medical professionals.
China urges the United Nations to collaborate with other countries to help transfer the supplies of medical technology through air drops and advocates for the international community to provide sustained funding. China would direct its financial support through United Nations agencies or NGOs. China contributes to donate to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its focus on reproductive health and safe childbirth, and UNICEF for its community maternal and child health programs. China would also help by donating medical equipment and uterotonics to help prevent hemorrhages from occurring.
