What progress has been made on MDG 5?
According to the 2005 data, few low- and middle-income countries are on track to achieve the first target of MDG 5. In 56 of the 68 priority countries where 98% of maternal deaths occur, mortality ratios are still high, exceeding 300 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births (1). The global maternal mortality ratio is 400 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births versus 430 in 1990. This average annual decrease of less than 1% is far below the 5.5% annual decline that is required to achieve MDG 5. At the regional level, none of the MDG priority regions have achieved a 5.5% annual decline, although eastern Asia comes close with a 4.2% average annual decline. In sub-Saharan Africa, where maternal mortality is highest, the annual decline has been 0.1%. However, given the high uncertainty margins for the maternal mortality ratio, determining whether there is any real decline at all is difficult (2). The designation employed and the presentation of the material on this map do not imply the expr
