Marking World Health Day 2025, Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), announced a significant milestone in global maternal health, revealing a 40% decrease in maternal mortality rates since 2000. This announcement came in a statement released Monday as part of the year-long “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” campaign, focused on urging governments and the health community to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths and prioritize women’s long-term health and well-being.
Dr. Kanem highlighted a historic achievement: for the first time, no country is estimated to have a maternal mortality rate exceeding 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births. This progress is attributed to medical advancements, increased reproductive autonomy for women, and improved access to quality maternal care.
However, Dr. Kanem cautioned against complacency, stressing that these gains mask significant disparities and remain fragile. She pointed out that in areas with weak health systems or protracted crises, maternal mortality rates stagnate or even increase. Specifically, women in conflict-affected countries are twice as likely, or more, to die from pregnancy and childbirth complications compared to the global average.
While more births are taking place in healthcare facilities, the quality of care remains a critical concern. According to UNFPA research, poor-quality care contributes to half of all maternal deaths, exacerbated by shortages of essential medicines, equipment, and skilled personnel. Discrimination and inequities based on location, income, race, and ethnicity further deprive women of both sexual and reproductive choices and adequate maternal care, even in wealthy nations with high healthcare standards.
Dr. Kanem emphasized the necessity of eliminating preventable maternal deaths, highlighting the crucial role of midwives. Evidence indicates that expanded midwifery care can detect risks, manage complications, and reduce costs, potentially averting two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths. Despite this, there remains a global shortfall of nearly one million midwives.
The UNFPA Executive Director called for strong political commitments, adequate financial resources, and supportive laws to create lasting change. “On this World Health Day, let us prioritize investments so that we reach zero preventable maternal deaths,” Dr. Kanem urged. “Let us commit to building healthier, more just societies and to ensuring that all women bringing life into this world can survive childbirth and thrive afterwards.” The World Health Day campaign, sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to raise global health awareness and advocate for improved healthcare access for all.
