World Health Day, observed annually on 7th April, is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to spotlight pressing health issues worldwide. The theme for World Health Day 2025 is “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.” This year-long campaign focuses on maternal and newborn health, urging governments and the global health community to intensify efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritise the long-term health and wellbeing of women.
Established in 1950, World Health Day serves as a platform to raise awareness and foster actions that promote better health outcomes for all. The 2025 campaign emphasises the importance of providing high-quality care before, during, and after childbirth, ensuring that every mother and baby not only survive but thrive.
Maternal and newborn statistics
The significance of this theme is highlighted by alarming statistics: approximately 300,000 women worldwide die each year due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications, while over 2 million babies die within their first month of life, and around 2 million more are stillborn. These figures translate to roughly one preventable death every seven seconds. Furthermore, current trends indicate that four out of five countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030, and one in three will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.
In the UK, 296 women died between 2020 and 2022, during pregnancy or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy. The most common causes of these deaths were thrombosis, thromboembolism, COVID-19, suicide, obstetric haemorrhage and sepsis due to pregnancy-related infections, and cardiac arrest.
In 2022 alone, in England and Wales, the neonatal mortality rate (aged under 28 days) was 2.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the highest rates of infant mortality were among infants of Black ethnicity, with a birth weight under 2,500 grams, or with a mother aged under 20 years.
Why World Health Day is important
Health awareness days, such as World Health Day, play a crucial role in highlighting such critical issues, mobilising resources, and encouraging collective action. They serve as reminders for people and communities to prioritise their health and advocate for systemic changes that promote wellbeing. By focusing on maternal and newborn health, World Health Day 2025 aims to impact a broad spectrum of people, including expecting mothers, families, healthcare providers, and policymakers, emphasising that the health of mothers and babies is foundational to healthy families and communities.
Prioritising health is essential for personal wellbeing and societal progress. Health awareness days highlight the importance of preventive care, early intervention, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles. They also highlight disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, prompting efforts to achieve health equity. By drawing attention to specific health challenges, these observances encourage informed discussions, policy development, and the allocation of resources to address pressing health concerns.
Spread awareness
World Health Day 2025, with its theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” calls for a unified commitment to improving maternal and newborn health. It reminds us that through awareness, advocacy, and action, we can create a world where every mother and child have the opportunity for a healthy and hopeful future.
We encourage our patients, staff and communities to always prioritise their health to the best of their ability, and this often begins with raising awareness of preventative healthcare.
