World Health Day 2025: Maternal health progress hides deep global inequalities – and other top health stories

"One preventable death every seven seconds during pregnancy or childbirth" was the stark headline issued by the United Nations (UN) ahead of this year's World Health Day on 7 April.

A new UN report released in conjunction with the event, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 2000 to 2023, estimates there has been a 40% drop in maternal deaths since 2000. But this still means as many as 712 women die each day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. And stark disparities remain – fragile and conflict-affected countries account for nearly two-thirds of the deaths.

Additionally, more than 4 million babies either die in their first month or are stillborn, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Women and girls are particularly vulnerable in the global healthcare system, the WHO says. These are some of the critical issues they face:

The UN health agency’s year-long Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures campaign urges stronger action to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths through better care and long-term support for women’s health.

While most countries are off track to meet 2030 SDG target 3.1, Trends in Maternal Mortality points to Southeast Asia’s progress – a 53% drop in maternal deaths since 2010 – as proof that sustained investment and inclusive policies can deliver results. However, the report also warns that aid cuts risk reversing these gains.

The WHO has completed its first global test of a new health emergency coordination system, bringing together more than 15 countries and over 20 international health agencies in a two-day simulation known as Exercise Polaris.

The simulation tested the Global Health Emergency Corps, a framework aimed at strengthening emergency workforces, coordinating deployments and improving cross-border collaboration during disease outbreaks and pandemics. Countries including Canada, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Nepal responded to a fictional virus scenario, sharing data, aligning strategies and working under real-time conditions.

“This exercise proves that when countries lead and partners connect, the world is better prepared,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

More than 350 experts from agencies such as Africa CDC, European CDC, UNICEF and IFRC joined the simulation. WHO said the drill emphasized both operational readiness and the importance of trust between countries in managing future global health threats.

An unvaccinated school-aged child with no underlying health conditions has died from measles in Texas – the state’s second fatality amid a growing outbreak, Reuters reports. Cases in Gaines County, the epicentre, rose to 328, while state-wide cases reached 505, as of 8 April, according to health officials. Hospitalizations are also up, with 57 people now admitted.

Tuberculosis infections among children in Europe and Central Asia rose by 10% in 2023. More than 7,500 cases were reported in those under 15 – over 650 more than in 2022 – highlighting continued transmission and the need for urgent public health action.

A new US study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that epithelial cells, which protect the body's surfaces, can generate neuron-like electrical signals after injury. Princeton researchers found that when these cells were laser-damaged, they produced electrical spikes similar to nerve cells, though slower. This discovery could impact the development of bioelectric healing devices, the authors say.

Early antibiotic exposure can reduce infants’ immune responses to vaccines, new research published in Nature suggests. Infants treated with neonatal antibiotics showed lower antibody levels after vaccination and also reduced gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, which is linked to weaker vaccine responses.

UK doctors are seeing more cases of Victorian-era illnesses such as scabies, as poverty-related conditions worsen, The Guardian reports. In a survey by the Royal College of Physicians, 89% of 882 doctors said they were concerned about the impact of health inequalities, and 72% had recently treated more patients with issues linked to poor housing, pollution, and transport. Nearly half said social factors accounted for at least half of their workload.

Africa has the world’s fastest-growing burden of oral disease but the lowest supply of oral health workers, according to WHO data. In 2021, 42% of the region’s population had untreated conditions like tooth decay and gum disease. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of oral health workers per 10,000 people was just one-sixth of the global average.

As we mark another World Health Day, it is essential to recognize the importance of equitable access to healthcare, writes the Forum's Naoko Tochibayashi. With ageing populations reshaping societies, countries like Japan are rethinking their health systems to ensure care remains fair and accessible for all.

Learn more about the midwife caring for women stranded by drought in the remote Amazon:

As AI’s potential to transform health systems grows, Africa is positioning itself as a key global contributor. The focus must now shift to long-term investments in evidence, infrastructure, and equity to ensure AI delivers real, equitable impact, especially in regions facing strained health systems.