Statement On World Health Day 2025

The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs joins the global community in observing World Health Day 2025 under the theme: "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures." This observance, commemorated annually on April 7, highlights the urgent need to prioritize maternal and newborn health while promoting long-term wellness for women everywhere.

 

This year’s theme calls attention to an alarming reality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 300,000 women die due to pregnancy or childbirth annually, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life, and an additional 2 million pregnancies end in stillbirth. These figures reinforce the need for proactive, equitable healthcare systems that support women and babies before, during, and after birth. Saint Lucia has made noteworthy progress in reducing maternal mortality, with a drop from 159.4 per 100,000 live births in 2010 to 41.3 in 2024. This achievement stems from national initiatives such as the Perinatal Audit conducted in 2014, improved identification and management of high-risk pregnancies, expanded obstetrics and gynecology clinics, and capacity building for healthcare professionals.

However, challenges remain. The infant mortality rate, which declined between 2017 and 2020, showed a slight increase from 2020 to 2024, though remained well below 2017 levels. Additionally, the total fertility rate fell to 1.13 in 2024, far below the replacement rate of 2.1.