World Health Day is commemorated annually on 7 April, marking the founding of the World Health Organisation. It is a significant occasion to raise awareness of pressing global health challenges and to renew our collective commitment to advancing public health and ensuring a healthy, safe, and sustainable life for all.
On this occasion, Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States, stated that this year's celebration, held under the theme "A Healthy Start for a Promising Future," calls upon governments and the global health community to intensify efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. It also seeks to place women's long-term health and well-being at the forefront of national and international health agendas.
Ambassador Abu Ghazaleh drew attention to alarming global indicators, noting that over 300,000 women lose their lives annually due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and more than two million newborns die within their first month of life. These figures underscore the urgent need to invest in maternal and newborn health.
She stressed that focusing on maternal and child health offers a vital opportunity to raise awareness about sound health practices, and to mobilise resources and cooperation to support mothers and newborns—especially in underserved regions. She called for strengthening collective action to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, stressing the necessity of a sustainable and effective healthcare response that improves the quality of care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
Ambassador Abu Ghazaleh also underscored the importance of building resilient healthcare systems—one of the key priorities of the Council of Arab Health Ministers—and the need to enhance awareness of maternal health across the Arab world. She advocated for increased investment and funding in maternal and child health services, and for ensuring that healthcare personnel receive high-quality training to deliver comprehensive care to mothers and newborns.
She further highlighted that maternal and child health remains a permanent item on the agenda of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, recalling the Council's adoption of Resolution 14 during its 51st ordinary session in February 2019, which included the launch of the Arab Multi-Sectoral Strategy for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (2019–2030). This strategy—developed in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund and in close coordination with the General Secretariat—aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes, facilitate the exchange of best practices among Arab states, and promote the transfer of successful experiences in reducing mortality rates.
