Brunei Maintains Low Maternal Mortality Ratio in Line with Global Health Goals
Bandar Seri Begawan, The Gulf Observer: Brunei Darussalam has recorded a commendably low maternal mortality ratio (MMR) over the past six years, ranging between zero and 32.4 deaths per 100,000 live births from 2018 to 2023 — equivalent to zero to two maternal deaths per year. For the year 2023, the country’s MMR stood at 15.9 per 100,000 births, representing just one maternal death.
The data was shared by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar in his message commemorating World Health Day, celebrated annually on April 7. The minister highlighted Brunei’s continued efforts in ensuring maternal and newborn health, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1, which aims to reduce global maternal mortality to below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
This year’s World Health Day theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” underscores the importance of maternal and newborn health, particularly in the first month of life. The minister emphasized the theme’s call to governments and health sectors to strengthen initiatives to end preventable maternal and neonatal deaths and to promote long-term well-being for women and children.
Citing recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the minister revealed that approximately 300,000 women worldwide die each year due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. Additionally, over two million infants die within the first month of life, and another two million are stillborn — amounting to a preventable death every seven seconds.
Dr Haji Mohd Isham expressed concern over global trends, noting that four out of five countries are currently off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival, while one in three may miss goals related to reducing newborn mortality.
Reflecting on Brunei’s progress over the last 50 to 69 years, the minister acknowledged significant improvements in maternal and infant health outcomes. However, he cautioned that achieving further reductions is increasingly challenging due to a rise in chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity among women of reproductive age.
“These conditions not only pose risks during pregnancy but may also have long-term consequences for the child,” the minister warned. He cited research indicating that exposure to such health issues in the womb could predispose babies to cardiovascular, metabolic, and immunological disorders in adulthood.
“The danger is that even babies born full-term and seemingly healthy may already carry internal risk factors due to their prenatal environment,” he said. “This risk is compounded if the child is raised in an unhealthy lifestyle after birth.”
The minister reiterated the importance of preventive healthcare, early intervention, and healthy living — particularly for expectant mothers — as vital pillars for safeguarding future generations and ensuring a healthier, more resilient population.
