Fiji reported a maternal mortality ratio of 86 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019. This figure was revealed during the Women’s Mock Parliament held in Suva last week. In response to inquiries about this statistic, the Ministry of Health emphasized that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) is a key public health indicator.
The ministry explained that MMR is calculated based on the number of maternal deaths occurring during a defined time frame, such as a year, in relation to live births within the same period. The data for 2019 indicated that for every 100,000 live births, there were 86 maternal deaths due to complications during pregnancy, delivery, or within 42 days postpartum. In total, Fiji recorded 19,825 births that year, which reflected approximately 20 percent of the 100,000 live births.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to achieving global targets set forth in Sustainable Development Goal 3.1, which aims to improve maternal health. They noted a significant improvement in the MMR during the 2020-2021 financial year, lowering it to 48.1 per 100,000 live births.
The high maternal mortality rate has been attributed to several factors, including excessive bleeding during childbirth (haemorrhage), infections related to pregnancy or delivery (sepsis), hypertensive disorders such as pre-eclampsia, and complications arising from unsafe abortions.