Topic: 2025 – Maternal Mortality
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: KenZie Low
World Health Organization
Maternal Mortality
Democratic Republic of the Congo
KenZie Low
City High School
Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 aims to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. However, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is ranked one of the top ten nations with the highest MMR, with 427 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. Roughly 92% of maternal deaths occurred in lower-income countries in 2023; many of these deaths were preventable. Many women die because of complications during pregnancy that can be treated if detected and cared for early, such as bleeding, infections, eclampsia, or complications from delivery. Thus, maternal mortality is closely related to a country’s development, domestic security, and the overall quality of its healthcare system. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a nation rampant with conflict and poverty, making access to maternal care difficult for many pregnant women in the country.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has made efforts to address its high MMR through an Integrated Strategic Plan for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescene Health and Nutrition. However, the nation faces violent conflict that makes accessing care hard for many women. Women face sexual violence because of these conflicts from both armed groups and MONUC peacekeepers. In some instances, women in DRC are victims of exploitative sexual relations so they can receive food, money, or security in impoverished situations. The DRC is also a largely rural country with very limited access to hospitals and staff. Transportation costs and scarcity of these systems create a higher MMR in the country. Midwives and nurses are also underpaid in the country, and many women cannot afford care in hospitals. Diseases such as HIV and malaria, and malnutrition also contribute to the high MMR when pregnant women contract them. DRC women exhibit low amounts of maternal health-seeking behavior (MSHB) in part due to the underdeveloped healthcare system and poverty, but also because of a lack of education. Women are not educated about reproductive health and may follow traditional beliefs rather than modern medicine in the DRC. There are some regions that have lower MMRs than others in the DRC, notably Kinshasa and Nord and Sud Kivu. These regions are more urbanized and have higher education than conflict-affected regions, particularly in the east, such as Kasai. As the DRC has been severely affected by its high MMR rate, the country made maternal healthcare free in 2023 in an effort to reduce maternal deaths. Yet, staff went on strike as they could not meet the demand of women seeking care, as there is only one midwife for every 20,000 people in the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo firmly believes that MMR is closely related to the development and security of a country. The DRC wishes for relief of conflict and low income in both its own nation and others to ensure that women can receive the basic healthcare they need. The DRC believes countries should develop their healthcare systems and staff. As the DRC aims to urbanize and create universal health coverage, it believes that other countries provide affordable care to women as well. Increasing health literacy and promoting MSBC is a priority, as many women in the DRC are not familiar with maternal care. Training staff and potential digital solutions, such as IMA World Health’s Safe Delivery App, ensures that workers providing maternal care are trained. Ensuring the health of pregnant women, whether it is through education, treating pregnancy complications, or addressing malnutrition, is integral to the DRC and its fight against its high MMR.
Works Cited
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