As the World Health Organization celebrates its 77th anniversary, the Southeast Asia Region has made considerable gains in improving health for children and mothers alike.
In the last 15 years, the region has recorded a 53% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio, a 44% reduction in the neonatal mortality rate, a 39% reduction in the stillbirth rate, and a 49% reduction in the under-five mortality rate, all of them the highest compared to all other WHO regions and the global average.
As this year’s World Health Day’s theme is “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” the region reported a maternal mortality ratio below 100 per 100,000 live births – currently at 96 – reducing yearly by an average of 5.1%, more than three times the global reduction rate. The region aims to strengthen its primary healthcare systems to reach Universal Health Coverage, thus providing a healthcare system where everyone can access quality services without a financial burden. Yet again, in phase with this year’s World Health Day theme, the region wants to grant universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including family planning and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs, contributing significantly to the survival of mothers and children.
