Rwanda's story of progress in maternal health is nothing short of remarkable. The country has managed, in terms of maternal mortality, to move from the red zone ‘extremely high’ category to the second best ‘moderate’ category in just under two decades.

The World Health Organisation categorises countries, based on their maternal mortality ratio (MMR) – defined as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births – under four groups; low (below 100), moderate (100-499), high (500-999), and extremely high for above 1,000.

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With a maternal mortality rate of 1,007 per 100,000 live births in 2000, childbirth was a perilous journey for many women in Rwanda. The number dropped to 259 in 2020, and that dramatic improvement places Rwanda among the top performers in Africa.

But why stop here? Rwanda, building on the positive trend of the last two decades, has the potential to become a nation where no woman dies giving life. This ambitious goal would not be a pipe dream. Here's why: