Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures: Prioritizing Maternal and Newborn Care on World Health Day – News18
Last Updated:
Every safe birth and healthy newborn is a step toward a more resilient future. This World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that no mother or child is left behind.
India has made commendable progress in reducing neonatal mortality (In frame: Disha Parmar welcomed her baby girl in 2023. Credits: Instagram
On this World Health Day, the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” draws timely attention to maternal and newborn health—a foundation for a thriving society. “As a gynaecologist, I see how systemic investments in maternal care can transform both survival and quality of life for mothers and infants,” says Dr. Swaramya Chandrasekaran, Senior Consultant – Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rela Hospital Chennai.
India has made commendable progress in reducing neonatal mortality. In fact, the World Health Organization recently congratulated India for achieving a significant decline in neonatal deaths, highlighting the country’s commitment to evidence-based policies and large-scale implementation of maternal and child health programs.
Dr Chandrasekaran adds, “Flagship schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) have improved institutional delivery rates and ensured free maternity and newborn services. The LaQshya initiative focuses on intrapartum care quality, while SUMAN aims to provide dignified, respectful, and assured healthcare services to pregnant women and newborns.”
Clinically, the adoption of standardized antenatal risk assessment, evidence-based labour protocols, fetal surveillance technologies, and immediate newborn care have made tangible differences. However, the true challenge lies in ensuring consistent quality of care across all sectors. At Rela Hospital, Chennai, we bridge this gap by offering world-class infrastructure, multidisciplinary expertise, and evidence-based protocols to ensure the safest possible outcomes for both mother and baby.
Internationally, WHO’s Every Newborn Action Plan and the EPMM roadmap guide countries in adopting measurable, high-impact strategies. India’s alignment with these global frameworks reflects in its improving indicators.
Yet, challenges persist—especially in rural outreach, respectful care, and continuity of postnatal services. Strengthening community-level awareness, upgrading labour room infrastructure, and supporting maternal mental health are essential next steps.
Every safe birth and healthy newborn is a step toward a more resilient future. This World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that no mother or child is left behind.
