India and Nigeria together accounted for a third of the deaths of pregnant women globally in 2010, latest UN figures said, even as maternal deaths declined by nearly half in the past two decades due to improvement in health systems and increased female education.
Globally, an estimated 287,000 women died in pregnancy and childbirth in 2010, a decline of 47 per cent from levels in 1990, with sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia accounting for 85 per cent of the those maternal deaths, according to a report on trends in maternal mortality between 1990 to 2010 released by UN Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organisation, UN Children’s Fund and the World Bank.
At the country level, India and Nigeria accounted for a third of global maternal deaths, with India at 19 per cent (56,000) and Nigeria at 14 per cent.
The global Maternal Mortality Rate in 2010 was 210 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, down from 400 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990.
Another eight countries — Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,000), Pakistan (12,000), Sudan (10,000), Indonesia (9,600), Ethiopia (9,000), Tanzania (8,500), Bangladesh (7,200) and Afghanistan (6,400) — account for the nearly 40 per cent of the global maternal deaths.
The report said every two minutes a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications like severe bleeding after childbirth, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy and unsafe abortion.
However there has been some progress in providing improved healthcare to pregnant women which has resulted in the deaths being cut by half over the past two decades, the report added. — PTI
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J&K cabinet transfers 6 IAS officers
age CORRESPONDENT
SRINAGAR, May 16
In a major administrative reshuffle, Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet on Wednesday transferred six IAS officers and 17 other senior officials.
The officers transferred included school education director Shagufta Parveen, director tourism Kashmir Farooq Ahmad Shah and deputy commissioners of Anantnag Kupwara, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla and Kishtwar districts.
Ms Parveen, IAS, has been posted as secretary to the government, public enterprises department, whereas Mohammad Shafi Rather, IAS, deputy commissioner, Kupwara, is new director, school education, Kashmir.
Another IAS officer Ramesh Kumar Koul, who was serving as additional commissioner, commercial taxes, Jammu, has been transferred and posted as director, estates, replacing Khurshid Ahmad Shah who will take over as deputy commissioner, Budgam. The order is silent on future assignment of Muhammad Rafi, the incumbent DC Budgam.
Mr Farooq Ahmad Renzu, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General administration department, has been posted as vice-chairman, Srinagar Development Authority. Farooq Ahmad Shah, director tourism, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as deputy commissioner, Anantnag, replacing Syed Kifayat Rizvi. Talat Parvez is the new director tourism, Kashmir.