By Joke Kujenya
CALLS FOR increased global investment in maternal and newborn health to prevent the deaths of nearly 300,000 women and over 2 million newborns annually were the high points of the 2025 World Health Day yesterday, April 7.
Dr. Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, emphasized that survival alone is insufficient; women must also enjoy good health post-childbirth.
She stated, “Women and girls everywhere need access to health providers who listen to their concerns and meet their needs.”
The WHO reports that four out of five countries are not on track to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
To address this, the organization advocates for increased funding in high-impact interventions, including antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, and specialized care for premature and low-birth-weight infants.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighted the economic benefits of such investments, noting that every United States $1 invested in maternal and newborn health yields a return of approximately US$9 to US$20.
She stressed, “We can and must end preventable maternal and newborn deaths through access to high-quality care for women and babies.”
The WHO also stressed the importance of expanding midwifery care models, citing evidence that universal access to midwifery could avert more than 60% of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths, equating to 4.3 million lives saved annually by 2035.
World Health Organization (WHO)
In light of recent reductions in international aid, which have led to clinic closures and staff layoffs, the WHO warns that these cuts could reverse decades of progress in reducing maternal mortality rates.
The organization calls for urgent restoration and maintenance of critical healthcare funding to prevent further regression in maternal health outcomes.
Also launched across the globe on the World Health Day was the WHO year-long campaign to confront the persistent global crisis in maternal and newborn health.
The initiative, titled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, places maternal well-being and neonatal survival at the centre of its advocacy agenda for 2025.
The campaign highlights a sobering reality: nearly 300,000 women die each year due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth.
More than 2 million newborns die within their first month, and a further 2 million are stillborn.
These numbers underscore what WHO calls a preventable tragedy unfolding every seven seconds.
The 2025 theme of Universal Health Coverage sharpens the focus on equity and access, urging countries to guarantee quality care without imposing financial hardship.
WHO calls on national governments, health agencies, and civil society to prioritise inclusive healthcare systems that meet the needs of the most vulnerable—especially women and newborns.
WHD In Retrospect
World Health Day, commemorated annually on 7 April since WHO’s founding in 1948, serves as a global platform to confront urgent health issues.
This year, the campaign centres on ending preventable deaths through better access to skilled health professionals, emergency obstetric care, and longer-term support for mothers.
Inequities in care remain a major barrier.
In many parts of the world, women give birth without trained assistance or access to emergency facilities. An estimated one in three women report long-term physical or mental health problems following childbirth—yet struggle to access treatment or support.
Health systems, WHO stresses, must expand their scope beyond obstetric emergencies to address broader health challenges including noncommunicable diseases, mental health, and reproductive planning.
Effective, respectful, and continuous care across pregnancy and the postnatal period is vital for survival and quality of life.
The crisis is not contained to low-income regions.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, maternal deaths rose to one every hour in 2020, reversing two decades of progress.
In June 2024, PAHO Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa Jr. issued an urgent call to reduce maternal mortality in the Americas, reinforcing the campaign’s global relevance.
With four out of five countries currently off track to meet global targets for reducing maternal deaths by 2030, WHO’s campaign aims to rally global support.
Alongside governments and health professionals, the public is urged to advocate for change, support families, and help build a future where every woman and baby can survive—and thrive.
