April 7, 2025 — On the occasion of World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have launched a year-long campaign titled “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” focused on improving the health of mothers and newborns worldwide.

The initiative calls on governments, health professionals, and society at large to step up efforts to prevent avoidable deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. The priority: ensuring that all women and their babies not only survive—but thrive.

An Alarming Reality

According to WHO data, each year nearly 300,000 women die during pregnancy or childbirth, more than two million newborns die within their first month of life, and around two million more are stillborn. Altogether, these figures represent one preventable death every seven seconds.

If current trends persist, four out of five countries will not meet maternal mortality reduction targets by 2030, and one in three will fall short of neonatal mortality targets.

An Urgent Call

The campaign “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” emphasizes the need to listen to women, understand their needs, and provide comprehensive, high-quality medical care before, during, and after childbirth.

In addition to obstetric complications, maternal and neonatal health is influenced by factors such as mental health, non-communicable diseases, and access to family planning services. WHO and its partners will also share practical information to support healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and effective postnatal care.

This World Health Day is a time for reflection—but more importantly, a call to act with urgency and commitment. The lives of millions of women and babies depend on it.

By: MSc. Dr. Patricia Alonso Galbán
Marketing and Communications Specialist at CSMC, S.A.