UNFPA honors India’s Leadership in Maternal Health and Family Planning

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recognized India’s extraordinary progress in advancing Maternal Health and Family Planning. Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, felicitated Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, by presenting a plaque and certificate and underlined UNFPA’s unwavering commitment to partnering with India toward women’s health and well-being.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing a number of programmes to improve maternal health outcomes toward achieving zero preventable maternal deaths. These include assured quality and respectful maternity care under the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Yojana (SUMAN), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) and the Midwifery Services Initiative.

In the presence of Smt. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission; Smt. Meera Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Reproductive & Child Health (RCH); Mr. Pio Smith, Asia Pacific Regional Director for UNFPA; and Ms. Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative, Dr. Kanem commended India’s monumental efforts in reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) by an impressive 70% between 2000 and 2020, positioning the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of an MMR below 70 before 2030. This remarkable progress has saved the lives of thousands of women across the country, particularly those from marginalized communities.