Kerala has yet again emerged on top when it comes to maternal and child Health, with the State recording the lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 30 (per one lakh live births) in the country. This puts Kerala way ahead of the national MMR of 103.
According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) special bulletin on maternal mortality in India (2017-19), brought out by the office of the Registrar General of India, Keralas MMR has dropped by 12 points. The last SRS bulletin (2015-17) had put the States MMR at 42 (later adjusting it to 43).
Keralas achievement is a result of a decade of sustained efforts at properly assessing the cause of maternal mortality in the State and taking up targeted initiatives to tackle each of these.
Improvement of the health systems emergency or rapid response during obstetric emergencies, especially in secondary care hospitals, including provision of emergency transport system, could go a long way in reducing maternal deaths further