Between 2000 and 2023, the global maternal mortality ratio dropped by nearly 40%. But despite that progress, there still lies a persistent, urgent challenge: Over 700 women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day, according to the latest figures. Too often, these deaths are caused by conditions that are both preventable and treatable when quality care is available.
Determined to help change this reality, the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India, or FOGSI, with support from MSD for Mothers and others, established Manyata, a quality certification for private maternity care providers intended to strengthen standards of care and help more women receive the safe, timely treatment they need, when they need it most.
India has historically faced one of the highest burdens of maternal mortality in the world. Previously, a lack of consensus on national quality standards and national accreditation meant care was often insufficient. For FOGSI, the solution was simple: address the direct causes of maternal mortality by embedding interventions into clinical standards and health systems.
“Manyata looks into every aspect of maternal care, however small or trivial it may be or however complicated it may be,” said Pompy Sridhar, director of India programs at MSD for Mothers. “So it’s a very holistic approach that also takes into account patient experiences and thereby making it a very easy-to-follow as well as a very impactful intervention.”
Nearly a decade later, the model has supported over 2.5 million safer births in India. Manyata is now being replicated by other countries looking to create resilient health systems while delivering continuous, quality care.
Watch the video above to discover Manyata’s progress so far and how the model directly contributes to global maternal health goals.
The Funding the Future series is supported by funding from MSD, through its MSD for Mothers program, and is the sole responsibility of the authors. MSD for Mothers is an initiative of Merck & Co. Inc., in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.
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