The Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, held a rally to mark World Health Day 2025 on April 3 in Hanoi.

World Health Day 2025, launched by WHO under the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” calls on nations and the global community to step up efforts to protect maternal and child health, prevent diseases, and minimize mortality risks for mothers and children, with a focus on ensuring their long-term well-being.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan highlighted WHO estimates showing that around 300,000 women die each year due to pregnancy or childbirth, while more than 2 million newborns die within their first month of life. It is estimated that every seven seconds, a preventable death occurs.

Women and children are among the most vulnerable groups, yet they play a crucial role in a country’s future development. Ensuring disease prevention, healthcare, and protection for women, mothers, and children remains a top priority. Vietnam has consistently demonstrated strong commitment to safeguarding the rights of women and children as part of its pursuit of sustainable development goals.

For years, maternal and child healthcare and disease prevention have received close attention and guidance from the Party, the State, the Government, and the Prime Minister through various resolutions, strategies, and national programs.

The Ministry of Health has introduced multiple action plans and projects to enhance disease prevention and maternal and child healthcare, achieving impressive results in reducing maternal and child mortality, an accomplishment recognized by the international community.

Specifically, maternal mortality has dropped more than fivefold, from 233 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to over 44 per 100,000 live births in 2023, ranking Vietnam fourth among Southeast Asian nations.

Infant mortality (under one year old) has fallen more than fourfold, from 44‰ to 11.6‰, while under-five mortality has dropped nearly fourfold, from 58‰ to 16.9‰. The child malnutrition rate has also declined significantly from 53‰ to 9.7‰, with the stunting rate among children under five now at 18.2%. Vietnam is recognized as one of six countries worldwide to have met the standard for reducing maternal mortality rates.

Minister Dao Hong Lan reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to the principle that “Investing in healthcare protection, care, and improvement is an investment in development.” The country continues to prioritize maternal and child healthcare, especially in remote, disadvantaged, border, and island areas, as a key objective in achieving sustainable development goals.

She also stressed the need to finalize legal frameworks and policies on disease prevention, maternal and child healthcare, and reproductive health to ensure access to high-quality healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Maximizing resources is essential to reduce maternal, neonatal, and child mortality rates while improving maternal and child nutrition, especially in remote and rural areas, as well as areas inhabited by ethnic minority communities.

US$2 mil project to prevent maternal deaths in Vietnamese ethnic minority women

More than US$2 million will be provided to help Vietnam reduce maternal deaths among ethnic minority women under a freshly-signed project.