WHO warns target to lower maternal death to be missed as 30 women die every hour

More than 250k died within six weeks of pregnancy in 2023

- REBECCA THOMAS , ALICJA HAGOPIAN

A woman dies every two minutes due to failures in maternal healthcare, according to shocking global data that has prompted stark warnings about the impact of cuts to aid funding by the US and the UK. A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that there were 260,000 maternal deaths in 2023, equating to 712 women a day or 30 per hour – with the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa.

The WHO has warned that the global target for all UN member states to reduce maternal deaths – down to 71 per 100,000 by 2030 – will be missed by more than twice this amount as “the pace of progress has slowed to a near standstill”.

Leading health organisations including the WHO have warned that recent sweeping cuts to international aid by the US government, which amount to more than £595m ($770m) for maternal health and family planning, will risk “a shift backwards” in the progress made on cutting maternal deaths – defined as any death related to or aggravated by pregnancy, or within six weeks of the end of a pregnancy.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Bruce Aylward, assistant director general of universal health coverage for the WHO, said: “The funding cuts risk not only that progress, but we could have a shift backwards.” He said that cuts were already “affecting access to lifesaving supplies and medicines, and especially treatments for some of the leading causes of maternal death”.

“One of the first things that they’re seeing already is that countries are already laying off staff, or not hiring, or they’re slowing down that healthworker spend... This is a real concern,” he added.