Poor women, some with newborns or young children, in Bangladesh today are lucky to have access to ADB-supported primary health care centers and other health facilities in six cities across the country. Not so long ago, many of these women who live in nearby slums would not have ever imagined stepping inside a clinic—if there even was one—and if they did, probably would not have received adequate care. But things have changed for the better. As we witnessed during our visits to several project sites and urban and peri-urban areas, increased access to health care has dramatically improved maternal health in Bangladesh. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has dropped from 322 per 100,000 live births in 2001 to 170/100,000 in 2013. This figure, though, cannot yet lead to contentment. The country still suffers high rates for girls due to malnutrition as well as inadequate knowledge about personal hygiene, and the threat of violence disproportionately affects women and girls...

—blogs.adb.org/blog