BMJ  2004;328 (3 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7443.0

Maternal and child health vital to progress of South Asia

South Asia has an unacceptably high maternal and perinatal mortality, but simple and cheap investments in primary care may change things dramatically. Rates of maternal malnutrition are among the highest in the world, say Bhutta and colleagues (p 816), infectious diseases are common, and there is a lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene awareness; providing contraception, improving the status and rights of women, and improving quality of services are critical. Shift of expenditures from defence to public health are paramount; Sri Lanka and Kerala, which now have health and demographic indicators far ahead of the national average, have shown the way forward (p 777). Tackling maternal depression, say Patel and colleagues (p 820), is vital, and it is important to deal with sexual discrimination, argue Fikree and Pasha (p 823).

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