With only five years left for the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, a top UN official has said a crucial goal to reduce maternal mortality may not be achieved.
"For years, the status of women is not valued and the health of the mother is not given priority... As a result, highest number of women die during pregnancy," Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) said here Monday.
Mane, who is also the Assistant Secretary General of United Nations, told PTI on the sidelines of the convocation of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences that the 'goal number five' may not be achieved unless all national governments work
hard in this direction.
"Women can deliver children at home but they should get skilled birth attendant and if there are complications, they should be able to get an expert's assistance very close to her place," she said.
"Unless we work very hard, we may not be able to reach the 100 per cent goal," she said, adding at least the aim should be to reach 75 per cent.
To ensure reduction of maternal mortality, India has recently started 'Janani Suraksha Yojana' to save pregnant mothers and the African Union has declared a programme 'Karma'.