World Health Day 2025: Raising Survival Rates of Newborns and Mothers

Throughout the ages, the world has witnessed countless health issues, from the recent pandemic to the accessibility of health coverage, a wide range of communicable and incommunicable diseases, lack of mental healthcare, our readiness to face health emergencies, and reduced life expectancy.

These are some reasons why the World Health Organization established World Health Day. On April 7 of each year, the organization highlights critical health-related issues that need public awareness and support. The date also coincides with the WHO’s founding in 1948.

As the year-long event kicks off, the UN agency announced that 2025’s focus will be on maternal and newborn health. The theme, “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” encourages governments and local communities to reduce preventable deaths among mothers and newborns.

The Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) supports this vision and joins the World Health Organization in improving health outcomes for childbearing women and their infants. Keep reading to learn more about World Health Day and how you can be part of it.

About World Health Day 

WHO instituted World Health Day in 1948 during its first World Health Assembly, an annual gathering attended by member states. The organization began celebrating it in 1950, using it to draw international attention to major health issues. In commemoration of the event, WHO hosts relevant events locally, regionally, and globally. 

Over the years, World Health Day has gained the recognition and support of governments and non-governmental organizations, particularly associations like IMANA that are involved in public health. 

Last year, we also published an article about World Health Day, showcasing 2024’s theme and our public health initiatives. As another celebration draws near, we invite you to once again remember what World Health Day is all about and to learn more about the 2025 agenda.

Celebrating World Health Day 2025

WHO underscored alarming statistics, justifying its theme centered on mothers and newborns. The agency estimates that nearly 300,000 women die each year during pregnancy and childbirth, while more than 2 million newborns lose their lives during their first month, and an additional 2 million are stillborn. Overall, one preventable death occurs every seven seconds.

As this trend continues, four of five countries are estimated to be “off track” in raising maternal survival rates by the year 2030. Moreover, one in three countries could be unsuccessful in lowering the number of deaths among newborns.

In response, WHO urges governments and healthcare systems to provide women and families with quality care before, during, and after labor. They should receive support for obstetric complications, mental health issues, family planning, and noncommunicable diseases. Governments must also create policies and laws that protect their health and rights.

2025 Goals

This year’s campaign is thus geared towards:

• Raising awareness regarding maternal and newborn survival, including women’s overall well-being
• Increasing investments that improve women’s and infants’ health
• Inspiring support for parents and the health professionals who take care of them
• Sharing relevant health information about pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal stage

To realize these objectives, we must examine and address the social determinants of health (SDH).

What Are the Social Determinants of Health?

The social determinants of health were introduced by the World Health Organization. These include non-medical considerations that affect health outcomes, such as how people are born, live, work, and age. They also involve economic and social policies, social norms, development agendas, and political systems.

Here are some examples of SDH:

• Early childhood development
• Food insecurity
• Education
• Social protection and income
• Job insecurity and unemployment
• Work conditions
• Access to housing and basic amenities
• Non-discrimination and social inclusion
• Conflict and displacement, structural discrimination
• Affordability and access to quality health services

WHO believes that addressing these issues will help improve health while reducing inequitable access. Such a large-scale endeavor requires collective action from all members of society.

The Main Issue: Inequitable Access to Healthcare

The biggest barrier to healthcare is inequitable access, a challenge that IMANA continuously addresses through its medical relief initiatives, mentorship program, and more. Modern medicine and scientific discoveries have allowed us to extend life expectancy, but not for everyone.

WHO points out that poorer communities suffer from inferior health compared to richer populations:

• People from high-income countries generally live 18 years longer than those in low-income nations.
• The majority of premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases take place in countries with low and middle incomes.
• The mortality of children under five is eight times greater in Africa than in Europe.

This disparity affects several countries across the world, even the United States. 

Tackling SDH As a Society

Though WHO has clearly identified the factors involved, the organization is still working on best practices that effectively address them. It admits that achieving health equity is a complex and multifaceted challenge that involves different stakeholders. WHO has also stated that data is problematic to collect and share. 

Despite these gaps, it recommends certain measures:

• Improving the daily living conditions where people are born, live, and work
• Managing the inequitable distribution of money, power, and resources
• Expanding the knowledge base of employees (workers should be trained in the SDH, empowering them to raise awareness)

These steps should be widely implemented on a systemic level to address existing inequities while improving health.

World Health Day 2025: Tackling Inequality While Improving Healthcare for Mothers and Newborns

Let’s make World Health Day 2025 a meaningful celebration by:

• Attending courses about maternal and newborn health
• Sharing relevant information and personal stories
• Donating to organizations that are committed to improving healthcare among women and infants
• Urging policymakers to create and support policies that reduce the preventable deaths of mothers and newborns

If you’re a medical professional, consider joining IMANA’s medical relief missions. Initiatives like ServeMauritania strive to lower maternal and infant mortality rates in a country where 50 out of 1,000 infants don’t survive.

Collective action begins when individuals like you decide to be part of the solution.