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Building a Healthier Future: Why Maternal and Infant Health Must Be a Global Priority

When a mother embraces her infant for the first time, it is the most profound moment and a delight that every woman should be able to feel. The mother and her baby should have the opportunity to flourish rather than just survive. Strong families and resilient communities are built on the foundation of maternal and infant health. In India and other parts of the world, protecting mothers’ and infants’ health is not only a medical concern but also a fundamental human right.

It’s time to consider the tragic fact that far too many mothers and infants continue to perish from preventable causes as we commemorate World Health Day today on April 7th, 2025.

The Stark Numbers We Cannot Ignore

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), pregnancy and delivery problems claim the lives of about 300,000 women annually. In the first month of life, more than 2 million babies pass away, and another 2 million are stillborn. That is around one avoidable death every seven seconds.

The stories of a lady with hope and a child whose destiny was never given a chance lie behind each of these figures.

Though awareness has grown and medical technology has advanced, improvement has been too slow. Four out of five nations will fall short of their 2030 maternal survival improvement goals if present trends continue.

One in three nations will not meet their targets for lowering the number of neonatal fatalities.

India’s Progress and Remaining Challenges

India has made noteworthy progress in improving maternal health as per a UNICEF India programme. The programme report suggests that the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 130 per 100,000 live births in 2014–16 to 97 in 2018–20, reflecting stronger healthcare systems, better antenatal care, and dedicated policy interventions.

Yet, significant challenges remain. There are persistent disparities in access to healthcare and nutrition, particularly across rural and marginalized communities. Many maternal deaths are still due to preventable causes such as severe bleeding, infections, and complications during delivery that can be managed with timely and appropriate care.

Helping Every Woman and Baby Survive and Thrive

This is an important—and completely doable—task. We can easily solve the problems.

We must make sure that every woman and her family receive respectful, high-quality care before, during, and after childbirth. This entails treating mental health, noncommunicable diseases, and family planning access in addition to direct obstetric difficulties.

Listening to Women, Supporting Families

A dedication to listening to women must be at the core of this movement. Their opinions are much too frequently ignored when choices about their health and welfare are being made. To raise new lives in secure, healthy settings, families also require financial, emotional, and physical support.

Health systems need to change to become more people-centred and responsive. We must make investments in maternity and neonatal care that enhance quality of life while lowering mortality.

This World Health Day, we join the global movement to:

  • Raise awareness about the gaps in maternal and newborn survival—and the urgent need to close them.
  • Advocate for investments that prioritise the health and long-term well-being of women and babies.
  • Encourage collective action, supporting both families and health workers who provide critical care under challenging conditions.
  • Provide vital information about pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, empowering individuals to make informed health choices.

Maternal and infant deaths are not inevitable—they are preventable. With the right care, policies, and support systems, we can change the story for millions of women and children around the world.

On this World Health Day, let’s commit to building a world where every birth is safe, every life is valued, and every mother and baby has the opportunity to thrive.

#BeTheForce

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A Dream Deferred: The Quest for Sleep Equity on World Sleep Day

Improve sleep and sleep quality

In the garden city of Bengaluru, Raj, a night-shift worker, tosses and turns in his bed, struggling to find sleep as the relentless Indian sun climbs higher into the sky. His small, shared apartment offers little respite from the cacophony of daytime noises and the sweltering heat. Meanwhile, across the world, in the quiet suburbs of Stockholm, Anna drifts into a restful slumber in her climate-controlled, noise-cancelled bedroom after a day’s work. This stark contrast in sleeping conditions underscores a profound but often overlooked issue: the global disparity in sleep health, also known as sleep equity.

The theme for World Sleep Day, “Sleep Equity for Global Health,” aims to highlight the considerable disparities in sleep quality that affect diverse populations around the globe.

It’s a day marked to bring attention to the social and environmental factors that contribute to these disparities, which can further compound existing health inequities.

Sleep: A Foundation of Health

Sleep is the cornerstone of good health, an essential process that allows our bodies and minds to recharge, healing us from the day’s toils and preparing us for the challenges ahead. Yet, the ability to obtain restorative sleep is not a privilege afforded to all. Factors like socio-economic status, employment conditions, geographical location, and even cultural attitudes towards sleep can create vast chasms in sleep health across populations.

In developing countries like India, long work hours, limited access to comfortable sleeping environments, and the burden of noise and light pollution are just some of the barriers preventing a good night’s rest. In wealthier nations, while the quality of sleep environments may be higher, the pressures of a 24/7 society and the intrusion of technology into the bedroom can similarly impair sleep.

Bridging the Sleep Divide

The concept of sleep equity goes beyond the individual, implicating the collective health of societies. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a myriad of health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and weakened immune function. When whole communities are sleep-deprived, these health issues can become prevalent, increasing healthcare costs and reducing overall productivity and quality of life.

World Sleep Day aims to galvanise change, encouraging global action to bridge the sleep divide. This can take various forms, from advocating for policies that protect workers’ rights to sleep, such as regulated work hours and rest periods, to investing in urban planning that creates quieter, more restful environments in densely populated areas.

The Call for Global Action

As we observe World Sleep Day, we’re called to consider our sleep health and recognise the disparities that exist. It’s a call for researchers to deepen our understanding of the societal factors that influence sleep, for policymakers to create environments conducive to rest, and for individuals to practice and promote good sleep hygiene.

Addressing sleep equity is a multifaceted challenge that requires a concerted effort from governments, health organisations, communities, and individuals alike. It’s a global health priority that has the potential to improve not just the quality of sleep but the overall well-being and productivity of societies.

By acknowledging the importance of sleep and the disparities that exist, we can work towards a world where restful sleep is not a luxury but a common reality for all. As we champion this cause, we move closer to a world where health equity includes one of the most basic yet vital components of life—sleep.

#BeTheForce

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Equality in Healing: Overcoming Global Challenges in Cancer Treatment

World Cancer DayAccess to essential health services is a huge challenge for at least half the world’s population, according to a report from the World Bank and WHO. Many households are pushed into poverty as they have to pay for healthcare from their own pockets. This is especially true for cancer, a disease that many people are denied basic care for, although we live in a time where there are amazing advancements in cancer prevention, diagnostics and treatment.

The equity gap is costing people lives as those who need cancer care face barriers at every turn. Factors such as income, education, location and discrimination based on age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and lifestyle affect cancer care negatively. So do risk factors such as tobacco, diet or environmental hazards.

Barriers That Affect Cancer Care Gender Norms and Discrimination:

Women and girls face discrimination because of stereotypes and expected gender roles. Men also face challenges because of social norms surrounding masculinity, which stop them from taking life-saving procedures such as surgery for early prostate cancer, for fear of incontinence or impotence.

Socioeconomic Status: Poverty is a major obstacle to proper care as many people cannot pay for or access screening and treatment services. The ways of prevention and knowledge among these communities are also low.

Age Discrimination: Older individuals are greatly underrepresented in the research that establishes the standards for cancer treatment. Many older women with breast cancer get less chemotherapy than their younger counterparts. More than 70% of deaths caused by prostate cancer happen in men above the age of 75. Age should not affect the quality of care one gets.

Rural-Urban Divide: Where one lives, should not affect if one will live. Rural patients are often diagnosed at later stages and are less likely to get suitable treatment. The financial cost of traveling to a place where one can get treatment and getting the right treatment can be too much.

Homophobia, Transphobia & Related Discrimination: Around the world, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQAI) community face aggression and discrimination. They are also likely to face lack of awareness or bias from health practitioners.

These barriers to cancer care are only some of the ways in which people can be denied of cancer care. But these barriers can be removed. The first step is to acknowledge this inequality, question our own beliefs and prejudices, listen to the views of people living with cancer and fight these gaps when we see them.

What Leaders and Governments Can Do To Improve Cancer Care:  

Leaders and governments have a vital role in enhancing cancer care and closing the equity gap. Here are some of the steps they can take:

Improve the health system and make cancer services more accessible and affordable, especially in low- and middle-income countries and rural areas. This can be done by investing in infrastructure, equipment, human resources, and supply chains, as well as offering universal health coverage and social protection schemes

  1. Reduce and manage cancer risk factors, such as tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and environmental pollution, by enacting effective policies and regulations. These include taxing harmful products, restricting their promotion, enforcing smoke-free and labeling laws, and promoting healthy habits.
  2. Support and apply research and innovation in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. This involves funding and facilitating studies, trials, and technology, and promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
  3. Empower and involve people and communities in cancer care and advocacy, and meet their voices and needs. This involves educating on cancer prevention and early detection, providing psychosocial and palliative care, and supporting civil society organizations and patient groups that work for cancer causes.

By taking these steps, leaders and governments can make a change in enhancing cancer care and saving lives. They can also help achieve the global goals and targets set by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.

#BeTheForce

Image courtesy: https://worldcancerday.org

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