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Bridge maternal-child health inequality gap

Published : Wednesday, 16 April, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 431
PARVEZ BABUL
This year's (2025) World Health Day (April 7)theme was: Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures. The date of 7 April marks the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. This Day kicked off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaignurged governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. And to prioritize women's longer-term health and well-being.

Maternal and child health refers to the health and well-being of mothers and children. It's a major public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide.

According to WHO, tragically, based on currently published estimates, 260 000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year. Over two million babies die in their first month of life and around two million more are stillborn. That's roughly one preventable death every seven seconds.

Based on current trends, a staggering four out of five countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030 through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One in three will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.

Gender equality and right to health are fundamental human rights. Dr.Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, said, "Violations of human rights are an early warning system. We need to use racial equity and anti- colonial frameworks to advance progress on right to health. Human rights unite all of us and not divide us. We should resist and push back harder on the (wrong) notion that human rights are divisive. Human rights are the actual basis of how we can move forward with something in common as humans. Protecting human right to health requires a constant analysis of power. None of us can imagine a future without a commitment to constantly analyze power, how it moves and shifts through us as individuals, and how it moves and shifts through our own organizations, and other multilateral systems."


Women and families everywhere need high quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth.Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and family planning.

To address these health inequalities, stakeholders should improve women's access to healthcare; Place women's voices at the center of their care needs; Make women's menstrual period dignified; Develop policies that support women who are new parents or caregivers; Incorporate the concept of diversity into gender equality approaches; Mainstream the gender perspective into all sectors and at all levels.

Child marriage and childbearing, which are prevalent in Bangladesh that contribute to maternal and child health problems. Malnutrition, particularly in children, is a major health problem.

Ensuring women and child-friendly healthcare centers and providers are truly urgent. And they are adequately trained and equipped to provide quality maternal and child health services is essential.

Addressing malnutrition through improved nutrition programs and interventions is vital. Empowering women through education and economic opportunities can improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Community-based health programs can play a vital role in reaching remote areas and providing essential healthcare services. Addressing poverty and other socioeconomic factors that contribute to maternal and child health problems is important. In all the communities, women, husbands and other male members of the family must support the pregnant women and lactating mothers to support their mobility and avail the health services timely and perfectly.

The writer is an environmentalist


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