Closing remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the High Level Virtual Ministerial Meeting on Accelerating Maternal, Newborn, and[...]

06 October 2025

Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, and partners,

Thank you for dedicating your time and commitment to this important dialogue.

Our collective goal is clear: no woman or child should die from preventable causes. The discussions today reaffirmed the urgency of accelerating progress through national action, accountability, and collaboration.

To Member States, I urge you to translate the WHA77.5 resolution into country-led acceleration plans-scaling up essential maternal, newborn, and child health services, integrating care at the primary level, and ensuring quality and continuity even during crises.

To WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and partners, our responsibility is to stand firmly beside countries-providing coordinated technical support, strengthening the health workforce, mobilizing resources, and advancing innovation and data systems.

We must now move forward with focus and determination, ensuring that every woman, every newborn, and every child has access to the care they need to survive and thrive.