Bridgetown, Barbados – April 7th, 2025 (PAHO) - The Randall Phillips Polyclinic in Barbados celebrated World Health Day with a host of health displays and messages for staff and clients alike.
Commemorated annually on April 7th, this year World Health Day bore the theme ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’, to initiate a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated this will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.
Barbados’ community outreach activity was applauded by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Davidson Ishmael, before an audience comprising the community, Ministry of Health and Wellness personnel and a PAHO team. The Minister shared with the gathering that Barbados recorded two maternal deaths in 2024, and in 2023, the infant mortality rate was 7.6 per 1 000 births.
“In comparison”, said the Minister, “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.”
Minister Ishmael outlined the recommended approach to safeguard the health of mothers and babies. It includes health check-ups during pregnancy; commencing the checkups at the start of pregnancy; attention to nutrition and making sure there is no smoking or drinking; mental health support; and adequate health centre facilities, including maternal wards and post-natal monitoring.
Additionally, the Minister said Barbados has a national policy on breastfeeding, which aims to promote and protect breast feeding practices. It includes exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding for up to two years.
PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries (ECC), Dr. Amalia Del Riego, observed that the maternal death situation is not the same around the world. She commended Barbados for the progress made in reducing maternal deaths, stating “here, it is half of the average of the (Americas) region”.
Dr. Del Riego lamented that most maternal deaths are preventable, and emphasized the importance of engaging families, including fathers. “It is extremely important!”
Additionally, Dr. Del Riego said PAHO is working with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to recertify the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a baby friendly hospital.
Community Nutrition Officer at the Randall Phillips Polyclinic, Leanda Hurdle, outlined the benefits of breastfeeding for both baby and mother, and assured mothers that any challenges met while breastfeeding can be managed at the polyclinic.
