Topic:
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Olivia Beard
WHO
Maternal Mortality
Bangladesh
Olivia Beard, Forest Hills Northern High School
Maternal mortality remains a critical global health issue, reflecting deep disparities in access to healthcare, reproductive services, and prenatal and postnatal care. Maternal mortality rate represents the number of deaths caused by severe bleeding, infections, unsafe abortions, hypertensive disorders, and/or obstructed labor, due to complications during pregnancy, child birth, or within 42 days after delivery. On average, over 287,000 women die each year from maternal causes, which could have been preventable, and 95% of those women resided in low and middle income countries. Worldwide efforts such as the Millenium Development Goals (specifically MDG 5) and Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 have worked to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio. Furthermore, WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA launched the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health to provide equal access to medical services. WHO is dedicated to reducing MMR to achieve universal healthcare coverage and justice in care delivery. As a developing country with underserved communities and limited medical professionals/resources, the republic sees maternal health as very important for national development and worldwide progress for vaccines.
Bangladesh has made great strides in improving outcomes for pregnant women, yet they still continue to face large obstacles in healthcare access, equity, and postnatal care. The advancements in public health have consisted of the maternal mortality rate declining from 0.004% in 2000 to 0.0015% in 2022. The skilled birth attendance rate also rose from 9% in 2000 to nearly 59% in 2022, with support from government and NGO partnerships. Even though the medical program has been enhanced dramatically, medical personnel, safe clinical facilities, and emergency obstetric care are still inaccessible in rural areas. Bangladesh has scaled up partnerships with WHO, Gavi, and UNFPA on issues related to maternal health programs and vaccination programs have been increased. Bangladesh favors models that are community based, such as the Maternal Health Voucher Scheme and the Community Skilled Birth Attendant Program. Its focus is on equitable access, medical training, and high health financing. Officials have continually affirmed their commitment to the Every Woman Every Child Initiative and SDG 3.
Bangladesh aligns with WHO’s global health agenda and continuously supports international frameworks, with the goal of reducing the MMR rate. WHO provides indispensable support with programs like the Maternal and Newborn Health Initiative and Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Program that help countries like Bangladesh achieve these goals. The United Nations, WHO, and Bangladesh are all in support of SDGs, specifically 3.1 and 3.7. The UN also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination, endorsed the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health, and equally important, their support for the ENAP and the Safe Motherhood Initiative. Though they have succeeded at lowering the MMR, there are ongoing international inequalities in funding, skilled personnel, and resource distribution.
Bangladesh stresses the importance of the fact that maternal mortality requires equal, analytical, and locally driven solutions, which can only be achieved through global partnerships. The main goals are to expand access to medical professionals, strengthen prenatal and postnatal care, enhance equity and outreach, support safe reproductive health, and improve international coordination. Bangladesh’s stance on this issue is belief that maternal mortality reduction must be treated as an essential element of global health and development. It also encourages the WHO to increase funding for the programs that help reduce the MMR, specifically at a community level and to strengthen oversight of national progress. Bangladesh stands ready to work with member nations of the WHO to ensure that every woman, regardless of race, income, or geographical location, has access to safe, essential, and life saving care.
