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Every day, around 675 infants under the age of one month and 27 mothers in Pakistan lose their lives due to preventable complications, according to a joint report by the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). This results in an estimated 246,000 newborn deaths and nearly 11,000 maternal deaths each year, positioning Pakistan among the top four countries contributing to the global maternal mortality crisis. These figures highlight a dire need for urgent intervention to improve maternal and newborn health in the country.
The Call for Immediate Action
On World Health Day 2025, WHO and the UN urged both the Pakistani government and international partners to take immediate action to address these preventable deaths. The WHO’s Representative in Pakistan, Dr. Dapeng Luo, emphasized that investing in maternal and newborn health is not only crucial for saving lives but also for ensuring the country’s future development. “Every country needs healthy mothers and healthy newborns to have a prosperous future. Ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths is possible if we reinvigorate our efforts,” Dr. Luo said.
Key Causes of Maternal and Newborn Deaths
The WHO’s report highlights that the majority of maternal and newborn deaths in Pakistan are due to treatable conditions. These include postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infections, and complications arising from unsafe abortions. Additionally, over 190,000 stillbirths are reported annually in the country, often resulting from these preventable conditions. The impact of such deaths is felt not only by the affected families but also by the country as a whole, hindering its social and economic progress.
Maternal Mortality in 2023: Pakistan Among Countries with High Death Rates
Global Context and Pakistan’s Progress
Pakistan is one of the four countries—along with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and India—that contribute to nearly half of the estimated 260,000 global maternal deaths in 2023. These statistics underline the importance of urgent action and the need for sustained investment in healthcare services. Despite some progress, including a decline in maternal mortality from 276 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2006 to 155 in 2024, and a reduction in neonatal mortality from 52 to 37.6 per 1,000 live births over the same period, Pakistan is still far from achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternal and newborn health. The country aims to reduce maternal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
However, experts warn that this progress is fragile and uneven, particularly in rural and conflict-affected regions. This highlights the need for targeted efforts to ensure that all communities, regardless of geographic location, have access to essential maternal and neonatal healthcare services.
The Importance of Investment in Maternal Health
According to the WHO, every $1 invested in maternal and newborn health yields a return of $9 to $20, making it one of the most impactful public health investments. Despite some progress in addressing neonatal tetanus and other preventable diseases, significant gaps remain. Anaemia, for instance, affects 41.7% of women aged 15 to 49 in Pakistan, and many women continue to lack access to essential services like antenatal care, skilled birth attendants, and emergency obstetric care. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges by disrupting maternal health services, especially in remote areas.
The UN report emphasizes the critical need for increased investment in midwifery, family planning, nutrition, mental health, and women’s education and empowerment to prevent maternal and newborn deaths. It also stresses the need to restore international funding and expand domestic health budgets to rebuild essential health services.
Global Maternal Health Crisis: A Call to Action
Globally, maternal deaths have declined by 40% since 2000, but the current pace is far too slow to meet the SDG targets for 2030. The global maternal mortality ratio must decline at an annual rate of 15% to stay on track, ten times faster than the current pace. The report from WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA calls for urgent action, particularly in fragile settings where maternal health services are already alarmingly inadequate. Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by conflict or instability, underscoring the need for robust health systems and humanitarian responses in these regions.
A Future at Risk
The UN report also highlighted the dangers posed by cuts in international aid funding, which have forced many countries, including Pakistan, to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn, and child health. In these fragile settings, the risk of preventable maternal deaths is even higher. “A 15-year-old girl in Pakistan faces a lifetime risk of 1 in 80 of dying from maternal causes, compared to just 1 in 5,600 in high-income countries,” the report warns, underscoring the stark inequalities that persist globally.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of ensuring access to quality maternity care, particularly in low-resource settings. “While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today—despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” he said.
A Call for Sustainable Change
The UN agencies stress that ensuring the survival of mothers and newborns is not only a public health priority but also a cornerstone of economic and social development. By investing in maternal health, countries like Pakistan can significantly improve their health outcomes, strengthen their economies, and secure a healthier future for generations to come. As the global community faces increasing challenges, the time to act is now—before more lives are lost to preventable causes.
