18 July 2007: Safe abortion services help to dramatically reduce maternal deaths in Nepal
A recent survey by the Nepalese Government shows that maternal mortality in Nepal has almost halved in a decade, during which time abortion has been legalised in the country. Nepal has long suffered from one of the world’s worst levels of maternal mortality.
The news is particularly welcome given widespread concern that globally one of the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015 - has yet to see progress.
"When abortion became legalised in Nepal,” said Kamala Thapa, Programme Director of Marie Stopes International (MSI) partner Sunaulo Parivar Nepal (SPN), “poor women no longer had to resort to life threatening techniques like drinking poisonous ‘remedies’."
"By combining legal reform with an effective programme for implementation based upon public-private partnership, Nepal has demonstrated that the fifth MDG is actually achievable," said Dana Hovig, MSI's Chief Executive. "Now we need to promote the fact that safe abortions are legally available so that no women die from ignorance. This will build upon the extraordinary achievement of the Ministry of Health and Population that has already seen maternal mortality almost halved."
Press release