World Health Day is celebrated on the 7 April each year. This year's theme, "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures," brings global attention to the urgent need to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and to improve the well-being of mothers and babies—a goal that lies at the very heart of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Despite decades of progress, far too many women and newborns—particularly those from marginalised communities— continue to die from preventable causes due to lack of timely, quality care.
Against the backdrop of persistent health inequities, the Regional Health Promotion Conference (RHPC) 2025, held on March 18–19 in Nairobi, brought together over 380 delegates, 90+ speakers, and 60+ organizations from 20+ countries under the theme "Empowering Communities for Inclusive UHC through an Intersectional Approach."
The conference reinforced a collective commitment to achieving health for all, by all, especially for those most often left behind—women, young people, and underserved communities.
RHPC 2025 emphasised health promotion as a vital strategy to end preventable deaths by addressing the social and structural determinants that impact maternal and newborn health and highlighted how intersecting factors like gender, disability, geography, and poverty compound vulnerabilities, making multi-sectoral, equity-focused interventions not just important but essential.
From tackling climate-related health risks that disproportionately affect pregnant women and children to ensuring access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), mental health services, and gender-based violence (GBV) support, RHPC 2025 showcased promising solutions that centre the voices and needs of marginalised populations in UHC strategies.
Stronger policy alignment was underscored as necessary to build resilient, responsive, and inclusive health systems that leave no mother or newborn behind.
One of the key calls to action was strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) to ensure that individuals and communities are informed and empowered participants in shaping their health.
Participatory tools like the Intersectional Community Scorecard (ICSC), and the engagement of youth, faith-based organisations, and traditional leaders were seen as vital to developing culturally grounded interventions.
Technological innovations, including AI-driven diagnostics, misinformation tracking systems, and mobile SRHR services, were recognized as transformative in expanding access to care, particularly in remote and under-resourced settings.
The critical role of volunteers, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), and youth in UHC was reaffirmed, with calls for their formal recognition, training, and fair compensation. Discussions also explored sustainable health financing models, such as pre-paid insurance, social enterprises, and community-based funding, to drive long-term investment in MCH, SRHR, NCDs and other critical health priorities
To truly ensure "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures," we must commit to bold, sustained action: investing in community-driven health promotion, leveraging digital innovation, and enacting inclusive policies that prioritise maternal and newborn health within UHC frameworks.
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Using intersectionality to create healthy beginnings and hopeful futures
World Health Day brings global attention to the urgent need to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Learn more about how our Regional Health Promotion Conference is tackling these issues head on.