Campaign launched to improve maternal, child healthcare

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.

“During and after pregnancy, mental health support should be available as it is a crucial yet commonly neglected component of maternal care,” he said. “Women should be provided with adequate healthcare services, including access to medical personnel, nursing facilities, maternal wards, and postnatal health monitoring. These services should enable parents to receive guidance concerning newborn care.”

Meanwhile, noting that childhood obesity continues to drive a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension, Ishmael said families must urgently address how home environments shape children’s health.

He underscored the powerful influence of family environments on children’s health, pointing out that children with obese parents are at a much higher risk of becoming obese themselves — 50 per cent increased rate with one obese parent, and 80 per cent increased risk when both parents are obese.

“This striking correlation reveals how eating habits and physical activity are socially inherited within families. Initiatives focusing on the first 1 000 days of life are therefore essential for ensuring long-term health and wellbeing as children transition to adulthood,” he said.

He warned that Barbados, like many other countries, is grappling with an alarming rise in obesity and NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. These diseases account for over 80 per cent of all deaths in the country, according to the Ministry of Health.

“The rise in obesity and non-communicable diseases is a growing concern for public health leaders and practitioners alike. Adequate nutritious diets alongside sufficient physical activities throughout life [will] support improved health outcomes,” Ishmael said.

He noted that the government’s recently implemented 20 per cent tax on salted treats is integral to its broader strategy to reduce risk factors linked to NCDs. The new tax follows a successful sugar-sweetened beverage tax that led to a measurable decline in consumption. The salt tax aims to discourage excessive salt intake, which is closely linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

(SB)