World Health Day is observed globally on April 7 to raise awareness about critical health challenges and encourage international efforts to address them. In 2025, the focus is on maternal and newborn health.
About World Health Day
Each year, the day is dedicated to a specific health issue to catalyse worldwide action, foster international collaboration.
2025 Theme – “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures”:
Theme Purpose:
- Highlights importance of maternal and newborn health.
- Aims to urge governments and global health community to intensify efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
- Prioritizes long-term health and well-being of women.
Health Challenges Addressed:
Maternal Mortality: Nearly 300,000 women lose their lives annually due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth.
Newborn Mortality: Over 2 million babies die within their first month of life, with millions more stillborn.
Impact:
- Approximately 1 preventable death occurs every 7 seconds.
- Current trends indicate that 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet global targets for improving maternal survival by 2030.
Global Significance:
- Emphasizes that overall well-being is fundamentally linked to health.
- Serves as a reminder of the essential role of international cooperation in tackling critical health issues, from disease prevention to maternal and child health.
Why It Matters?
Strategic Focus on Maternal & Newborn Health:
- The 2025 theme is strategically selected to address one of the most pressing global health challenges—ensuring that mothers and newborns receive quality care to prevent unnecessary deaths.
Catalyst for Global Action:
- Call for Action: The day acts as a platform to galvanize political commitment, allocate resources, and coordinate efforts among countries and health organizations toward achieving better health outcomes.
- Progress Monitoring & Policy Implications:The day underscores importance of tracking progress towards SDGs and motivates countries to intensify policy interventions.