Maldives among nine countries to achieve maternal mortality goal

A new study has revealed that the fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG), to reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent by 2015, was achieved by only nine countries.

MDGs were eight international developmental goals set at the 2000 Millennium Summit to accelerate global progress in development.

A study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the University of Massachusetts has shown that the only countries to achieve the fifth goal are Maldives, Bhutan, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Iran, Laos, the Mongolia, Rwanda, and Timor-Leste.

WHO said that the global reduction in maternal mortality in this period was 44 percent.

Nearly 99 percent of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in developing countries.

Government said back in August 2015 that Maldives had achieved most, or six or seven MDGs.

The eight MDGs were to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development.