World leaders have pledged urgent action to protect the health of women, children and adolescents warning that overlapping global crises are reversing hard-won gains.
On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Presidents, ministers and health advocates gathered for the Uniting for Global Health Security hosted by the Global Leaders Network (GLN) for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).
The summit took place against a backdrop of conflict, displacement, climate emergencies and economic shocks which have strained health systems and diverted resources from long-term development.
According to the World Health Organization, 260 000 women died in 2023 from largely preventable causes linked to pregnancy and childbirth 92% of them in low- and middle-income countries.
That same year, 4.8 million children under five died including 2.3 million newborns while 1.9 million pregnancies ended in stillbirth.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said young people are bearing the burden.
“Since we met last year on the margins of UNGA, the challenges are escalating conflict, displacement, economic shocks, and the climate emergency have reversed hard-won gains in health and development. Women, children and adolescents – those whose wellbeing defines the future of every society – are bearing a disproportionate burden,” Ramaphosa said
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark now Board Chair of PMNCH added “If we fail women, children & adolescents in times of crisis, we risk losing the very future we seek to build.”
Leaders called for bold, inclusive approaches to financing health.
President Ramaphosa who chairs the GLN and President Duma Boko of Botswana who leads ALMA urged for innovative mechanisms to counter declining development aid.
“We need a health accelerator, a strong, sustainable partnership for prosperity with the private sector and the diaspora. Let’s make a political commitment and commit to being held accountable. We can make malaria elimination a reality. We can deliver a healthy tomorrow for women, babies, children and adolescents—the time to start is now,” said President Boko.
The proposed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Health Accelerator was highlighted as a transformative financing model to close resource gaps and expand care for vulnerable groups.
“Public-private partnerships can help us fill growing resource gaps and accelerate our progress to elimination. These partnerships are key to delivering sustainable financing at this critical moment and leading our continent to prosperity,” said Vice President Muhammad B. S. Jallow of The Gambia.
Speakers from Kenya, The Gambia, Gavi, the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Africa CDC stressed that African-driven solutions including vaccine manufacturing and domestic resource mobilization must remain central.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reinforced that sexual and reproductive health is integral to sustainable development.
“Let’s recommit to fight against all preventable death. With a focus on vulnerable people, let’s unite behind the fight against malaria, which remains a top killer of women, children and adolescents. And let’s not forget that sexual and reproductive health is a best buy for development—one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments any government can make,” said UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita.
