Thursday, Apr 09, 2026 22:00 [IST]
Last Update: Wednesday, Apr 08, 2026 16:18 [IST]
India’s maternal health journey is often cited as a
public health success story — and rightly so. A recent study in The
Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health confirms that
maternal mortality has dropped sharply, now standing at nearly one-fifth of
what it was in 1990. But behind this encouraging headline lies a quieter, more
troubling reality: the pace of progress has slowed, and the gaps are becoming
harder to ignore.
The sharpest decline came in the early 2000s, when
government schemes, institutional deliveries, and awareness campaigns began to
take root. Those were the years of visible change. What we are seeing now is a
system that has reached a threshold — where further gains require deeper
reform, not just wider coverage. Women are still dying of haemorrhage,
infections, and hypertension — causes that are well understood and, in many
cases, preventable. This is no longer a question of knowledge, but of last-mile
delivery.
The Covid-19 pandemic only made matters worse. It disrupted
routine care, reduced antenatal visits, and stretched frontline workers thin.
Programmes like LaQshya and the Pradhan Mantri SurakshitMatritva Abhiyan show
that the government recognises the problem. But intent is not the issue —
implementation is.
And that is where India’s familiar fault lines reappear.
Health being a state subject means outcomes depend heavily on local governance.
While states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and much of the south are inching
towards the SDG target, others — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh —
continue to struggle with fragile systems and limited capacity. The result is a
divided reality, where a woman’s chance of survival still depends on where she
lives.
If India is serious about reducing maternal mortality
further, it must move beyond schemes and slogans. Functional primary
healthcare, reliable emergency transport, equipped labour rooms, and access to
blood banks are not aspirational goals — they are basic necessities. At the
same time, nutrition, education, and women’s decision-making power cannot
remain side notes in policy discussions.
The truth is simple: India has done the easier part well.
What remains is harder, slower, and far more uncomfortable — but absolutely
necessary.
