Structured Sepsis Protocols Cut Maternal Harm by 30%: WHO – Mexico Business News

Report on Maternal Health Interventions and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The APT-Sepsis Program: A Scalable Intervention for SDG 3

Key Findings and Impact on Maternal Mortality

• A new international study shows the Active Prevention and Treatment of Maternal Sepsis (APT-Sepsis) program reduced infection-related maternal mortality and severe morbidity by 32%.
• The trial, conducted in 59 hospitals in Malawi and Uganda, presents a scalable strategy to advance Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), specifically Target 3.1, which aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio.
• The findings, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP), and the University of Liverpool, highlight how structured protocols can improve outcomes in resource-constrained settings.

Program Components and Alignment with Global Health Standards

1. Adherence to WHO’s standardized hand-hygiene protocol.
2. Implementation of the FAST-M bundle for early sepsis management.
3. Increased use of antibiotic prophylaxis during caesarean sections.
4. Routine monitoring of vital signs to enable early infection detection and appropriate antibiotic stewardship.

Stagnating Progress and Widening Disparities in Maternal Health (SDG 3 & SDG 10)

Global Maternal Mortality Trends

• Global progress on reducing maternal mortality has stagnated since 2016, jeopardizing the achievement of SDG 3.
• In 2023, an estimated 260,000 women died from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth, equivalent to one death every two minutes.
• Leading causes of death include severe hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and preventable sepsis, which the APT-Sepsis program directly addresses.

Case Study: Disparities in Mexico and SDG 10

• Maternal health risks are disproportionately high among marginalized populations, underscoring challenges related to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• In Mexico, a report from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) found that effective maternal health coverage for indigenous women was 18.3% compared to 25.3% for non-indigenous women between 2009 and 2023.
• INSP attributes these disparities to structural discrimination, limited health infrastructure, and the compounding effects of gender, ethnicity, and poverty, which are significant barriers to equitable health outcomes.

National and Global Policy Responses to Address SDG Targets

Mexico’s Regulatory Framework

• Mexico’s maternal mortality trends reflect global challenges, with 534 maternal deaths reported in 2024 and 88 in early 2025.
• To improve access and cultural safety, Mexican authorities introduced NOM-020-SSA-2025, a regulation that formally integrates professional and traditional midwives into the national health system.

The Broader Context of SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

• UN Women’s 2025 SDG Gender Snapshot warns that no global targets for SDG 5 (Gender Equality) are on track for achievement by 2030.
• Barriers to progress, including poverty, conflict, and restricted political representation, directly impact maternal health outcomes.
• Funding cuts have resulted in 25% less gender data being available, weakening the capacity for evidence-based policymaking to achieve gender-related SDG targets.

Economic and Social Implications for Sustainable Development

The Economic Case for Investing in Women’s Health

• Investing in women’s health is critical for economic growth, a core component of sustainable development.
• The Mexican Association of Pharmaceutical Research Industries (AMIIF) estimates that closing the women’s health gap could add up to US$1 trillion to the global economy by 2040.

Broader Health Vulnerabilities

• PAHO specialists note that chronic conditions, often exacerbated by social inequities and barriers to care, increasingly shape women’s health trajectories.
• Persistent gaps in preventive care, nutrition, and early-life health strategies deepen these vulnerabilities, complicating efforts to achieve holistic well-being under SDG 3.

Conclusion: The Path Forward for Achieving Maternal Health Goals

• The APT-Sepsis findings offer a focused model of how standardized, evidence-based care can deliver measurable improvements in maternal health.
• Adapting and scaling such programs is essential for accelerating progress toward SDG 3 and SDG 5, addressing the inequalities targeted by SDG 10, and building resilient health systems globally.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article’s primary focus is on maternal health, specifically reducing maternal mortality and severe infections like sepsis. It discusses the APT-Sepsis program, which directly contributes to improving health outcomes for mothers.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article connects maternal health to broader gender equity concerns, citing a UN Women report that “none of the global targets for gender equality are on track.” It highlights how structural discrimination, poverty, and violence disproportionately affect women’s health and well-being.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The text explicitly points out disparities in maternal health outcomes. It references an analysis from Mexico’s INSP showing that “indigenous women experience lower levels of effective maternal health coverage compared to non-indigenous women.” This highlights inequality based on ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The success of the APT-Sepsis program is presented as a collaborative effort. The article mentions the partnership between the “World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP) and the University of Liverpool,” who are now “working with governments to adapt and scale the model.” This exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
   • The article is centered on this target, discussing the global stagnation in reducing maternal deaths since 2016 and reporting that “an estimated 260,000 women died from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth” in 2023. The APT-Sepsis program is presented as a direct strategy to help achieve this target.
2. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
   • The article discusses gaps in “effective maternal health coverage” in Mexico and the importance of “access to quality services” to reduce preventable complications. The implementation of standardized protocols like APT-Sepsis is a method to improve the quality of essential healthcare services.
3. Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
   • The article attributes health disparities faced by indigenous women in Mexico to “structural discrimination, limited health infrastructure, and the compounding effects of gender, ethnicity and poverty,” directly linking the issue to this target.
4. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.
   • The data showing lower maternal health coverage for indigenous women (18.3%) compared to non-indigenous women (25.3%) is a clear example of an inequality of outcome that this target aims to address.
5. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.
   • The collaboration between WHO, HRP, the University of Liverpool, and national governments in Malawi and Uganda to implement and scale the APT-Sepsis program is a direct example of this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Maternal Mortality Ratio (Indicator 3.1.1):
   • The article provides explicit data points for this indicator, stating there were “260,000 women” who died from maternal causes globally in 2023 and “534 maternal deaths in 2024” in Mexico.
2. Reduction in Maternal Mortality and Morbidity from a specific cause:
   • A key finding mentioned is that the APT-Sepsis program “reduced infection-related maternal mortality and severe morbidity by 32%.” This serves as a specific, measurable indicator of the intervention’s success.
3. Effective Maternal Health Coverage:
   • The article uses this as an indicator to measure inequality, citing specific figures from Mexico: “indigenous women experience lower levels of effective maternal health coverage compared to non-indigenous women, 18.3% versus 25.3%.”
4. Compliance with Health Protocols:
   • The article implies process indicators by stating that participating hospitals “recorded higher compliance with hand-washing, increased use of antibiotic prophylaxis during caesarean sections, and more routine vital-sign monitoring.” These metrics measure the implementation of quality care standards.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: mexicobusiness.news