World Health Day 2025: Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures

World Health Day is observed every year on April 7th and aims to draw attention to global health challenges. This date is not only a reminder of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 but also emphasizes the importance of health for people worldwide (WHO, n.d.). This year’s World Health Day campaign, "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures," calls on governments and health communities to intensify efforts to reduce preventable deaths and improve the long-term health of women and babies (WHO, 2025).

Every year, globally, nearly 300,000 women lose their lives due to pregnancy or childbirth, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life, and around 2 million are stillborn. This means that every second, one preventable death occurs. Based on current data, four out of five countries will not meet the targets for improving maternal survival by 2030, and one-third of countries will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn mortality (WHO, 2025).

According to UNICEF data for 2020, maternal mortality in Serbia is 20% to 50% higher than in European countries (UNICEF Serbia, 2024). In Serbia, 65,000 babies are born each year, of which 4,000 are born prematurely, and seven babies every day require emergency medical care. Premature birth causes 60% of neonatal deaths and 42% of all deaths in children under the age of five. With a perinatal mortality rate of 8.2 per 1,000 live births, Serbia has a higher rate compared to the EU average of 4.9 per 1,000 (UNICEF Serbia, n.d.).

To address the challenges for the health of women and babies, it is essential to provide high-quality healthcare that includes both physical and emotional support before, during, and after childbirth. It is also necessary to invest in healthcare systems that address obstetric complications, mental health, and family planning. The campaign calls for raising awareness, investing in effective programs, supporting parents and healthcare workers, and sharing useful information about pregnancy and postnatal care. WHO urges the global community to get involved, share information using the hashtags #HopefulFutures and #HealthForAll, attend global events, and donate to support this important cause (WHO, 2025). This campaign serves as a reminder that investing in health is the most important step toward building a society where everyone, regardless of geographic or social differences, has the opportunity for a healthy start and hope for a better future.

References:

• Borba, J. (2019, June 16). Smiling woman carrying baby [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/smiling-woman-carrying-baby-RWgE9_lKj_Y
• UNICEF Srbija. (n.d.). Zdrav početak života. UNICEF. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://www.unicef.org/serbia/zdrav-pocetak-zivota
• World Health Organization [WHO]. (2025). World Health Day 2025: Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures. World Health Organization. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2025
• World Health Organization [WHO]. (n.d.). World Health Day. World Health Organization. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day
• UNICEF Srbija. (2024, December 26). Unapređenje kvaliteta zdravstvene zaštite trudnica i porodilja u Srbiji. UNICEF Srbija. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from https://www.unicef.org/serbia/medija-centar/vesti/unapredjenje-kvaliteta-zdravstvene-zastite-trudnica-i-porodilja-u-srbiji