Washington DC, April 25, 2025 (PAHO) — This week marks the official launch of a new maternal health initiative in Peru, as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and MSD for Mothers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, continue a regional effort to improve maternal health and reduce unintended pregnancies across the Americas. Following a recent rollout in Honduras, Peru becomes the second country to implement this joint initiative—part of a broader project titled “Responding to Obstetric Emergencies and Unintended Pregnancies 2024–2027.” MSD for Mothers is known as Merck & Co., Inc. in the United States and Canada.
The initiative aims to enhance institutional and community capacities to reduce preventable maternal mortality and ensure safe, respectful, high-quality care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
“This project reflects PAHO’s commitment to improving maternal health across the Region. Promoting safe, high-quality, women-centered care and strengthening the capacities of health personnel and communities are key to building more equitable and resilient health systems,” said Dr. James Fitzgerald, Director of the Department of Health Systems and Services at PAHO. “This is made possible through close collaboration with countries, and their efforts to transform health services through sustainable, context-specific solutions.”
In Peru, the Maynas district of Loreto was selected as a priority area due to its significantly high maternal mortality ratio—nearly three times higher than regional targets—and persistent barriers to accessing healthcare, particularly in rural and ethnically diverse communities. The initiative is expected to directly benefit more than 15,000 pregnant women and approximately 210,000 women of reproductive age. It will also provide training for 150 health professionals, along with 150 traditional midwives and community agents.
“We are honored to join forces with PAHO to strengthen health systems and meet critical health needs of women in Latin America, particularly in Peru,” said Dr. Kalahn Taylor-Clark, Vice President and Global Head of Social Impact and Sustainability at MSD. “By expanding access to safe, respectful care during pregnancy and childbirth, we are building a foundation for healthier lives —for women, their children, and their communities.”
In Honduras, the initiative is being implemented in the department of El Paraíso, another high-priority region due to elevated maternal mortality rates. Efforts there focus on improving integrated health service networks, leveraging technology to reduce emergency response times, and training both medical personnel and community leaders. An estimated 15,000 women are expected to benefit from the intervention, which is designed to create long-term, regional impact.
The initiative also seeks to recover ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused significant setbacks in maternal health. In 2020, Latin America and the Caribbean saw one maternal death every hour. That year, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the region regressed to levels seen two decades prior. Encouragingly, by 2023, the MMR had returned to pre-pandemic levels—a 19% decrease from 2020—equivalent to five fewer maternal deaths each day.
This collaboration between PAHO and MSD for Mothers underscores a shared commitment to delivering cost-effective, sustainable, and culturally responsive solutions that empower women, ensure equitable healthcare access, and transform maternal care systems across Latin America.
In support of these goals, PAHO launched the "Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths" campaign in June 2024, an initiative that prioritizes health system strengthening, universal health coverage, and the right of every woman—regardless of location—to receive high-quality maternal care.
