title: Strengthening accountability to end preventable maternal deaths.
abstract: The present paper describes the ongoing efforts to revitalize the accountability of national governments toward preventable maternal deaths. Maternal death reviews are included in the national health policies of the majority of countries contributing 95% of global maternal deaths. However in actual practice, the extent of implementation and follow-up of recommended actions on lessons learnt from maternal death reviews is inadequate. This paper describes and discusses the role of the Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) system in strengthening accountability and ending preventable maternal deaths. MDSR provides a surveillance tool for timely information on where, when, and why maternal deaths occur, builds on maternal death reviews, and includes the missing "response" component for improving quality of care and preventing maternal deaths.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: mathaim@who.int.
authors.forename: Matthews
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathai
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thandassery R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Dilip
authors.affiliation: North West London NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Issrah
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jawad
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sachiyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D035082:Federal Government; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D063130:Maternal Death / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012941:Social Responsibility
keywords: Accountability; Low- and middle-income countries; Maternal deaths; Population surveillance; Quality Improvement