A national campaign was launched on Monday to bolster maternal and child healthcare as Barbados observed World Health Day on Monday. And Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Davidson Ishmael called for urgent action to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates, underscoring the importance of accessible, high-quality healthcare for mothers and newborns.Speaking at a ceremony held at the Randal Phillips Polyclinic, Ishmael acknowledged the progress Barbados has made in reducing infant mortality rates but emphasised that more must be done to safeguard the lives of mothers and newborns.“Barbados recorded two maternal deaths in 2024, and in 2023 the infant mortality rate was 7.6 per 1 000 births,” he explained. “In comparison, as quoted by WHO, almost 300 000 women die as a consequence of pregnancy or delivery every year worldwide, and more than two million infants perish within a month after birth. The medical care of mothers and babies is a foundation of healthy families and communities helping to ensure hopeful futures for all of us.”Ishmael underscored that comprehensive, high-quality care—both physical and emotional—must be delivered before, during, and after pregnancy. Ishmael further revealed that this year’s World Health Day – whose theme was  Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures – would launch a national campaign aimed at raising awareness and promoting effective health services for expectant mothers and their newborns.Ishmael said: “World Health Day in Barbados will focus on spreading hope to parents and expecting mothers. This year’s theme will mark the beginning of a campaign centred on effective healthcare services for mothers and their newborns. The campaign encourages action for the prevention of maternal and newborn deaths. It will also work towards improving overall women’s health while enhancing available information and instructions that support healthy pregnancies and births, as well as better postnatal care.”As part of the ministry’s broader strategy, Ishmael highlighted a renewed emphasis on primary healthcare—bringing care closer to communities and promoting individual responsibility for health and wellness.He also stressed that although the overall care of expectant mothers is important, greater attention must also be paid to mental health support.