Maternal mortality reduction has been recognized as a key healthcare problem that requires prioritizing in addressing. In 2015, the United Nations has set Sustainable Development Goals to reduce global maternal mortality ratio to 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. Ethiopia as a member country has been working to achieve this Sustainable Development Goals target for the last decades. In this article, we discussed Ethiopia’s commitment towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals in maternal mortality. Furthermore, the trends of maternal mortality rate in Ethiopia during Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals are also highlighted. Although maternal mortality has been declining in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016, the rate of death is still unacceptably high. This requires many efforts now and in future to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals target by 2030.

1. World Health Organization . Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/millennium-development-goals-(mdgs)#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20Millennium%20Declaration,are%20derived%20from%20this%20Declaration
Google Scholar2. United Nations . Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/
Google Scholar3. Assefa, Y, Gelaw, YA, Hill, PS, et al. Community health extension program of Ethiopia, 2003–2018: successes and challenges toward universal coverage for primary healthcare services. Glob Health 2019; 15(1): 1–11.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline4. Workie, NW, Ramana, GN. The health extension program in Ethiopia. Washington, DC: UNICO Studies Series, 2013.
Google Scholar5. Banteyerga, H . Ethiopia’s health extension program: improving health through community involvement. MEDICC Rev 2011; 13(3): 46–49.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline6. Evans, DB, Etienne, C. Health systems financing and the path to universal coverage. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2010.
Google Scholar | Crossref7. FMOH . Health sector transformation plan. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia, 2015.
Google Scholar8. EHIA . Evaluation of community-based health insurance pilot schemes in Ethiopia: final report. Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Health Insurance Agency, 2015.
Google Scholar9. Gobeze, AA, Kebede, Z, Berhan, Y, et al. Clinical performance of emergency surgical officers in southern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Sci 2016; 26(5): 463–470.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline10. Biadgo, A, Legesse, A, Seifu, A, et al. Quality of maternal and newborn health care in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21: 679.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline11. EPHIEE, I . Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey 2019: key indicators. Rockville, MA: EPHI and ICF, 2019.
Google Scholar12. The World Bank . Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate per 100,000 live births) Sub-Saharan Africa. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT?locations=ZG (accessed 06 June 2021).
Google Scholar13. Kassebaum, NJ, Bertozzi-Villa, A, Coggeshall, MS, et al. Global, regional, and national levels and causes of maternal mortality during 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet 2014; 384(9947): 980–1004.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI14. Say, L, Chou, D, Gemmill, A, et al. Global causes of maternal death: a WHO systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health 2014; 2(6): e323–e333.
Google Scholar | Crossref15. World Health Organization . Maternal mortality in 2000–2017 internationally comparable MMR estimates by the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), WHO, UNICEF. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2015.
Google Scholar16. Ethiopian Public Health Institute-EPHI, Federal Ministry of Health-FMoH, ICF . Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey 2019. Addis Ababa: EPHI, 2021.
Google Scholar17. Tessema, GA, Laurence, CO, Melaku, YA, et al. Trends and causes of maternal mortality in Ethiopia during 1990–2013: findings from the Global Burden of Diseases study 2013. BMC Public Health 2017; 17(1): 1–8.
Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline18. CSACE, I . Ethiopia demographic and health survey 2016. Addis Ababa: CSA and ICF, 2016.
Google Scholar