Every year on April 7, the world observes World Health Day, highlighting pressing global health concerns. In 2025, the focus is on maternal and newborn health under the campaign Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures. This initiative calls on governments, healthe systems, and communities to take decisive action in reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths while enhancing long-term health outcomes for women and infants.
Maternal and newborn health statistics remain alarming. Each year, nearly 300,000 women die due to pregnancy or childbirth complications. Over 2 million newborns do not survive beyond their first month, while another 2 million are stillborn. This equates to a preventable death every seven seconds, causing immense suffering for families worldwide. Many of these tragedies could be prevented with better access to quality prenatal, delivery, and postnatal e, alongside stronger healthe systems that prioritize maternal and newborn well-being.
Since 2000, global efforts have led to a 40% reduction in maternal mortality, dropping from 446,000 deaths in 2000 to 260,000 in 2023. However, disparities persist. In 2023, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for approximately 70% of global maternal deaths, with Central and Southern Asia contributing another 17%.
To meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1, reducing global maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, intensified efforts are needed. A significant milestone was achieved in May 2024 with the adoption of the WHA77 resolution, urging nations to remove barriers, expand access to quality healthe, and reorient health systems toward primary healthe.
To support maternal health initiatives, World Health Organization, in collaboration with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, conducted a webinar series in commemoration of World Health Day 2025. The sessions focused on maternal , maternal mental health, and maternal empowerment.
Maternal Nutrition: Nurturing the Future
The inaugural webinar, “Nurturing the Future: Maternal Nutrition for Healthy Beginnings,” took place on April 1st, featuring esteemed international and national speakers and focused on maternal . While making significant progress in reducing maternal mortality, Sri Lanka’s attention has shifted to ensuring quality maternal health outcomes that contribute to healthy beginnings for both mothers and infants. A newborn’s birth weight is a key indicator of pregnancy outcomes and is directly influenced by maternal . It also has long-term implications for health and development. However, recent studies indicate a rise in low birth weight babies, highlighting the urgent need to examine the underlying causes and the role of maternal . It also has long-term implications for health and development. Maternal health is shaped by various factors, including socioeconomic conditions, education, emotional and physical well-being, and obstetric e. The ongoing economic downturn poses challenges, potentially affecting access to nutritious food and healthe services for expectant mothers. While anaemia during pregnancy remains a concern, the underlying causes have evolved, with a decline in iron deficiency. This calls for more targeted al interventions to address persistent anaemia levels and improve overall maternal health. This webinar on Maternal Nutrition, explored the significant progress Sri Lanka has made in reducing maternal mortality while emphasizing the need to shift our focus toward improving the quality of maternal health outcomes. The global and regional trends along with the national al landscape were explored, highlighting key challenges such as low birth weight and small-for-gestational-age births. The importance of addressing anaemia, ensuring adequate weight gain during pregnancy, and tackling both under and over were underscored. While positive strides have been made, the looming concerns posed by economic downturns and rising poverty were acknowledged, calling for more evidence-based interventions and policies to safeguard maternal .
Maternal Mental Health: Resilient Mothers, Mental Wellness Matters
Maternal Empowerment: Mothers Empowered to Stay Well
also explored how investing in maternal health translates into long-term societal benefits, strengthening not just individual families but entire communities.
This webinar series has reinforced the notion that maternal health is a multidimensional issue requiring collaborative efforts from healthe providers, policymakers, researchers, and communities. We must continue advocating for evidence-based policies, strengthening existing maternal health programs, and fostering an environment where every mother has access to the e and support she needs.
Future Steps
World Health Day 2025 to spotlight women and babies’ survival, urging solidarity at a critical moment for global health
Family Health Bureau
Role of Maternal Depression on Child Development: A Prospective Analysis from Pregnancy to Early Childhood
Non Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Survey (STEPS Survey) Sri Lanka 2021
