Global WHO Actions Highlight Maternal and Newborn Health for World Health Day 2025

On the occasion of World Health Day 2025, over 100 global offices of the World Health Organization organized wide-ranging public advocacy actions alongside Member States, health workers, and partner agencies to defend maternal and newborn health care services. Marked by the theme “Healthier beginnings, hopeful futures,” the unprecedented international mobilization addresses mounting funding challenges that threaten to reverse decades of progress in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, according to United Nations warnings published by the World Health Organization.

Key Clinical Takeaways:

• Over 100 WHO global offices launched coordinated public health actions on World Health Day 2025 to safeguard maternal and newborn health services against severe funding cuts.

Global Mobilization Against Maternal Health Backsliding

The 2025 campaign directly confronts acute financial pressures facing the global health sector. In response, regional WHO offices deployed multifaceted public health strategies combining high-level governmental advocacy with direct community interventions.

The Republic of the Congo featured a high-profile Walk the Talk event with the Regional Director to launch a new maternal death management system. Angola utilized digital platforms via a dynamic Facebook live event alongside UNICEF and UNFPA, while Burundi orchestrated a ten-day celebration featuring refugee clinic visits, school disease screenings, and maternal health workshops. In Sierra Leone, the First Lady visited a maternal hospital alongside diplomatic tours of health monitoring facilities. Nigeria, the Ministry of Health, and partner agencies organized a public walk to sensitize communities on improving maternal and newborn health, ending preventable deaths, and prioritizing women’s long-term well-being. Meanwhile, South Sudan disseminated critical advocacy messages amidst ongoing security concerns, highlighting the essential work of local midwives safeguarding mothers during childbirth.

Regional Implementation of Perinatal Protocols

Across the WHO Region of the Americas and the Pan American Health Organization, countries advanced technical frameworks to improve birth outcomes. The Bahamas launched the SIP+ maternal health initiative through a strategic press conference and social media campaign, aiming to strengthen maternal and child health monitoring. Cuba marked the observance by celebrating zero maternal deaths in Villa Clara province through a community festival and a multi-agency scientific symposium. Suriname combined a public health fair with a technical forum dedicated to implementing the Perinatal Health Information System, while Guyana transformed the Rosignol Health Centre into an active community health hub.

Expanding Technical Infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific

In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Djibouti celebrated the dual milestone of World Health Day and 40 years of WHO presence with an intensive maternal health focus. Oman mobilized a multi-ministry response integrating higher education institutions into ongoing maternal health initiatives, and Pakistan engaged government officials in high-visibility events complemented by human interest stories and published op-eds.