Distinguished members of the press, ladies and gentlemen, magandang umaga and good morning. Mabuhay.
And welcome to the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and to those joining us online. I’m delighted to have you here as we celebrate this year’s World Health Day.
This year’s campaign is “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”.
We are calling on countries and partners to renew their commitment to ensuring good-quality health care for every mother and every newborn. This is crucial for achieving universal health coverage.
WHO is dedicated to this mission by working closely with countries.
We collaborate with governments across the Region to develop and implement evidence-based policies, strategies, guidelines and clinical protocols. We also design initiatives to ensure integrated and people-centred maternal and newborn care.
The Western Pacific is doing relatively well.
Today, we are releasing new estimates showing that, among WHO’s six regions, we have the second-lowest maternal mortality ratio, which tracks how many women die during pregnancy or childbirth. This indicates how well health systems protect mothers.
WHO estimates that in 2023, for every 100 000 babies born in the Region, 35 mothers lost their lives.
In 2010, 49 mothers died per 100 000 live births. This means maternal deaths have decreased by almost 30% in 13 years.
It’s a good improvement, but it’s not enough. We are working with ministries of health and partners to reduce it even further, aiming to end preventable maternal deaths.
We know the causes of maternal deaths: haemorrhage (severe bleeding), hypertensive disorders and other indirect obstetric causes.
The solution is clear: We must ensure every mother has quality, people-centred care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
This will also improve newborn survival and well-being and increase the chances that mothers will bring the babies back for other important health services, such as childhood vaccination.
I want to highlight today: the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly measles.
Measles cases in the Western Pacific have more than doubled compared to the same period last year, with outbreaks reported from Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, and ongoing transmission in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.
The rising cases also increase the risk of international spread. If a woman catches measles during pregnancy, this can be dangerous for her, and can result in her baby being born prematurely with a low birth weight.
To protect mothers and babies, we must ensure high vaccination coverage and integrate routine immunization programmes with maternal health care.
WHO interventions
WHO is supporting Member States’ efforts to end preventable maternal deaths.
We advise on the best ways to strengthen the health workforce, empower women to play an active role in their health-care journey, and establish robust data systems for regular monitoring.
Countries of our Region are also committed to improving newborn health. In 2013, they endorsed an Action Plan for Healthy Infants which introduced Early Essential Newborn Care or EENC. This aims to give every baby born in the Western Pacific a healthy start, through high-quality care.
The EENC programme targets nine priority countries where 95% of newborn deaths in the Region occur, and it has shown remarkable success. Over the past decade, it has been implemented in 6500 childbirth facilities where more than 42,000 health-care providers have received coaching.
Today, an impressive 93% of full-term babies get the life-saving ‘first embrace’ – skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth.
WHO works alongside health authorities, professional societies, health-care providers and patients to strengthen access to high-quality, respectful care.
A focus on continuous quality improvement involves regular reviews, identification of gaps, and implementation of action plans with measurable targets.
We support these efforts by providing country-specific guidance, addressing key causes of maternal mortality, and incorporating competency-based training into health-care curricula. This ensures skilled and respectful care during pregnancy, delivery, and the weeks following delivery.
Call to action
As I mentioned, most countries in the Region have made significant strides in increasing access to maternal and newborn care, with 98% of births now attended by skilled health personnel.
In countries with good access, our focus has shifted to enhancing the quality of care.
However, a few countries and areas in the Western Pacific still struggle to provide even basic maternal health-care services, with limited access to skilled birth attendance.
These countries need urgent support to build the necessary infrastructure and workforce.
It is essential that every mother feels safe and empowered. This means creating environments where women are heard, respected and involved in decisions about their health care.
Simply surviving childbirth is not enough; we must ensure that mothers and babies thrive.
Health authorities, facility managers, doctors, midwives and nurses have the power to make significant improvements.
Health workers need proper training, supervision and supplies so that they can identify issues early, prevent infections and handle difficult situations confidently.
They must also treat all patients with dignity, respect their choices and address the mental health needs of new parents.
Health authorities can improve outcomes by:
- making sustained investments in safe and accessible maternal and newborn care;
- creating an enabling environment for health workers, including safeguarding uninterrupted access to water and sanitation; and
- ensuring health facilities are well-stocked with essential medicines and supplies.
We are making progress, but we are not there yet. We must redouble efforts to ensure every mother and every baby across the Western Pacific have access to high-quality care.
Because every mother and every newborn deserve a healthy beginning and a hopeful future.