Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures: WHO dedicates World Health Day 2025 to maternal, newborn health

In her message on World Health Day, Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, highlighted WHO's history and noted that the establishment of a specialized international health organization was first proposed in April 1945, when diplomats met in San Francisco to form the United Nations.

The following year, the 'International Health Conference' in New York drafted and adopted the constitution of what would soon become the World Health Organization - signed by 61 nations, when the UN itself had 51 members.

"This WHO constitution came into force two years later, on 7 April 1948 - a day we since mark as World Health Day - marking the beginning of our Organization, born from the hopes of healthier futures for all to come", she noted.

Wazed added, "Today, 77 years later, we mark World Health Day - appropriately with the theme 'Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures.'"

Explaining the theme, she highlighted how our health begins before birth. "It is a multigenerational inheritance, bequeathed from our grandparents to our parents to us. This means that when we improve the health of our people today, the effects ripple across time and uplift generations yet unborn."

Thus, the health of mothers and their newborns, therefore, is vital not just for our communities today, but for all who will come after us. She noted that "Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures" is the first World Health Day theme dedicated to maternal and newborn health since 2005.

Highlighting the progress made over the years, she said, "From 2010 onwards, our region achieved the highest reduction in the stillbirth rate, and in the maternal, newborn and child mortality rates, compared to all other WHO regions and the global average."

"We recorded a 53 per cent reduction in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), a 44 per cent reduction in the neonatal mortality rate (NMR), a 39 per cent reduction in the stillbirth rate (SBR), and a 49 per cent reduction in the under-five mortality rate (U5MR).

"For the first time in our region, we have reported an MMR of below 100 per 100,000 live births (currently 96). From 2016 to 2023, our Maternal Mortality reduced by an average of 5.1 percent per year - more than three times the global reduction rate", Wazed noted.

She noted that despite the progress, the advancements are spread unevenly across countries. "The stark reality is that in our region today, approximately 2,700 mothers and 45,000 newborns still die every month. We tragically see about 34,600 stillbirths each month. Most of these deaths are from preventable causes", she said.

Wazed highlighted that addressing this issue--whether through coverage, quality of evidence-based intervention packages, or socio-economic factors--requires a concerted and coordinated effort from all stakeholders.

"Our work is guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by our Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health, by various Regional Strategic Frameworks, and by resolutions of the World Health Assembly and our South-East Asia Regional Committee. At the heart of our efforts is Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which aims to provide a healthcare system where everyone can access quality services without financial burden", she said.

Wazed noted that strengthening of primary healthcare systems to deliver inclusive, equitable care is essential and is the preferred approach to achieving UHC.

"Universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including family planning and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs, contributes significantly to the survival of mothers and their children", she underscored.

Wazed brought to attention that there is a de-prioritization of resources for maternal and newborn health. "We are seeing this globally, regionally and at the country level. This is extremely concerning, and we need to reverse this".

She noted that the SEARO is guided by our Regional Roadmap for Results and Resilience, the first pillar focusing on the importance of mental health, well-being, and quality of life for our people. This has been ignored for too long, and it will help ensure that mothers and newborns not just survive but thrive in supportive and enabling environments.

"The health of women and children is of particular importance to us, and the second pillar of our Roadmap reaffirms investments in women, girls, adolescents, and vulnerable populations. This is key to public health outcomes and health equity.

Having considered the 'healthy beginnings' of WHO, and at the start of life, let us turn to 'hopeful futures.' The future of the health and wellbeing of mothers and children is inescapably intertwined with the future of WHO", Wazed observed.

Speaking about the progress, she said, "In our eighth decade, we can look back with pride on so many achievements that are milestones in the history of mankind. We have eradicated smallpox. We are close to eradicating polio. We have combatted HIV/AIDS. We have led the first global treaty to fight tobacco. Our immunization programs have vaccinated millions. We have prevented hundreds of millions from death, disease and infirmity. Thanks to you, WHO's impact has been on a planetary scale."

She highlighted that despite these things, the WHO faces troubles due to geopolitical developments that affect and jeopardise its work.

"But today, as we recommit to the health of mothers, children and generations yet unborn, we know our work is more vital than ever. We are not sitting back. We are retooling, reorientating and repurposing to respond to our circumstances. A strategic alignment of priorities and resources aims to achieve 25 per cent (or higher) overall efficiency from the currently available resources for Programme Budget 2024-25. All budget centres have done a criticality analysis to achieve 25 per cent efficiencies this year."

She noted that available flexible funding for activities has been moved to the newly established SEAR Solidarity Pool to address salary gaps and critical needs till December 2025. Regional reserves and monthly savings from efficiency measures will be used to address further gaps during the year.

"Strengthening resource mobilization and partnerships is a central focus, and we are building capacity in both these teams. Our Regional Resource Mobilisation Strategy is being finalized, and we are also developing resource mobilization plans for each budget centre. We are in constant communication with our Member States to maintain their commitment to the AC increase, as planned and agreed at WHA", she said.

Wazed brought to attention that the WHO is taking every measure to protect its people, including those working at ground level. "Their experience and expertise are crucial, and we are exploring how to keep working with them."

She gave the example of the Myanmar earthquake and noted, "Our colleagues in Myanmar immediately sprang into action, pushing aside their own concerns about their families and their communities. I cannot thank them enough for always serving the greater good--they are the essence of WHO."

"The 'hopeful futures' we want for our people demands a strong, resilient and active WHO. From disease outbreaks to natural disasters, from newborns to the elderly, from migrant camps to modern cities - whatever the situation and whoever the person is, the WHO is a symbol of hope, help, and health."

In her concluding remarks, she called upon all nations, all partners and all allies to deepen their work with WHO and to strengthen the bonds of common cause. "The health of everyone we hold near and dear demands nothing less", Saima Wazed said.