WHO regional committee meeting highlights plight of women, children

The Seventy-fifth Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa (RC75) has triggered a robust engagement on accelerating progress in the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents (WCAH).

During the sessions, a total of 43 statements were delivered, 30 from Member States and 13 from partners making it one of the most engaging sessions of the meeting and reflecting the urgency of investing in WCAH on the continent.

According to statistics, every day roughly 800 women and newborn die due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.  

Africa, which accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths and around 55% of child deaths, bears the burden of most of these deaths. 

While the continent has made important progress between 2000 and 2023, the maternal mortality ratio declined by 40%, from 727 to 442 per 100,000 live births, neonatal mortality fell from 39 to 26 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality dropped from 149 to 67 per 1,000 live births, progress remains uneven and insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 targets.

African women and children face a much higher risk of dying than women and children in other regions, a tragic reality.

These preventable deaths are compounded by persistent gaps in access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, which are essential to safeguarding the lives and dignity of women, children and adolescents.

Member States in their interventions highlighted national and regional efforts to advance WCAH, while also acknowledging persistent challenges.

Persistent gaps in the health workforce and lack of access to commodities were raised by many, including the representative from Kenya, who noted key challenges, including commodity gaps and skilled health workforce attrition.

Calls were also made for investments in data systems.  For instance, the representative from Seychelles noted that it was critical to strengthen robust data systems to guide evidence-based decision-making.

Several Member States also underscored the urgency of addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The representative from Malawi noted that they are still experiencing high rates of teenage pregnancies.

In his opening address, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia set the tone for RC75 with a deeply personal reflection.

I was born in a health center with no water, no electricity. My grandmother was the birth attendant.” This memory, he emphasised, remains a reality for too many African women and children today, where access to skilled attendants and essential services is too often left to chance.

The President outlined Zambia’s ongoing reforms: expanding health facilities closer to communities, recruiting not just baseline staff but also specialists, linking health and education so that over 2 million children could return to school, and ensuring a minimum package of services even in fragile contexts.

Looking beyond Zambia, he called on all African leaders to act decisively on four priorities: investing in resilient health systems, accelerating local manufacturing, strengthening regional solidarity, and aligning with global health frameworks.

The high level of engagement during RC75 reflects the continued priority Member States and partners place on advancing WCAH.

With WHO’s support, and in alignment with President Hichilema’s call to reposition health as sovereignty, security, and growth, the African Region aims to strengthen health systems as the foundation for accelerated progress - ensuring that every woman, child, and adolescent in Africa can survive, thrive, and reach their full potential.