Victoria Ogunyemi
As the world marks World Health Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa has raised alarm over the persistently high rates of maternal and newborn deaths across the continent — the majority of which remain preventable.
In a statement released on Monday, WHO revealed that an estimated 178,000 mothers and one million newborns die annually in the African region, primarily due to complications that could be avoided with timely and quality healthcare services.
This year’s World Health Day campaign, themed “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures”, is centered on improving maternal and newborn health — a focus WHO says is both a moral and strategic imperative.
“Despite notable progress over the past two decades, Africa still accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths,” the WHO statement read. While maternal mortality has dropped by 40% — from 727 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 442 in 2023 — the region is still far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. At the current pace of decline (2.2% per year), the continent is projected to record nearly 350 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by the end of the decade — five times higher than the target.
Similarly, while stillbirths and neonatal mortality have declined by 30% and 33% respectively since 2000, sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of global infant loss, accounting for nearly half of all stillbirths and newborn deaths worldwide. WHO projects that by 2030, the region will still experience neonatal mortality rates nearly double the global goal of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births.
“In too many places, pregnancy and childbirth are still life-threatening events,” said Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Every dollar invested in maternal and newborn health delivers major returns: healthier families, stronger societies, and sustainable economic growth.”
According to WHO, the underlying causes of slow progress include chronic underfunding of health systems, fragile governance structures, and a lack of trained health professionals — particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas.
The ongoing burden of disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises also continues to severely disrupt maternal and child health services.
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The leading causes of maternal deaths include hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infections, unsafe abortions, and obstructed labor — all of which are largely preventable with the right care. For newborns, premature birth, neonatal infections, birth complications, and congenital anomalies remain the top contributors to mortality.
WHO highlighted a number of ongoing efforts to accelerate progress, including the development of maternal and newborn health acceleration plans, as well as expanded training for skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric care providers.
Progress is evident in some areas. Over 60% of African countries now report that more than 80% of births are attended by skilled health personnel — a massive leap from 28% in 2010. However, disparities remain stark, particularly in rural communities and crisis-hit regions, where access to care is limited or altogether absent.
As World Health Day is observed globally, WHO is calling on governments, donors, and community leaders to prioritize maternal and child health — not only as a health issue, but as a cornerstone for development and equity.
If current trends persist, Africa will fall significantly short of the SDG targets for maternal and newborn survival by 2030. WHO emphasizes that with accelerated political commitment, strategic investment, and community engagement, millions of lives can still be saved.
“Every life lost during childbirth is a tragedy — but more tragically, most of these deaths are avoidable,” Dr. Ihekweazu said.