Sustaining early gains and strengthening systems for every child’s health and wellbeing

Today, on World Health Day, Maldives joins the global community in reaffirming a simple but powerful truth: every child has the right to grow up healthy, protected, and able to thrive.

This year’s theme, “Together for Health. Stand with Science,” is a timely call to action. It reminds us that advancing the health and wellbeing of children depends on decisions grounded in evidence, guided by equity, and strengthened through partnerships. In an era of rapidly spreading misinformation, standing with science is essential to ensure that choices affecting children are informed, trusted, and effective.

Maldives stands as a strong example of what sustained, evidence-based investments can achieve. The country has created one of the most supportive environments for child survival in South Asia, with maternal mortality at 32 per 100,000 live births and under-five mortality at just 6 per 1,000, both well below regional averages. Near-universal birth registration (98.8%) ensures that children are visible and protected from the start, while consistently high immunization coverage (95%) safeguards them from preventable diseases. Universal access to essential health services has laid a solid foundation for child wellbeing and positioned the Maldives among global leaders in early childhood outcomes.

UNICEF Maldives is proud to have walked this journey alongside the Government of Maldives since 1978, working in partnership with health professionals, communities, and partners to expand equitable access to quality services for every child. Together, we have supported progress across immunization, maternal and newborn care, nutrition, mental health, and primary health care, helping to build a system that reaches children across islands and atolls.

As the Maldivian health system now faces a new generation of challenges, UNICEF remains committed to deepening this partnership. We stand ready to continue working with the Government, partners, and communities to address the high burden of non-communicable diseases (84%), rising mental health concerns, and lifestyle-related risks including smoking and substance use that are increasingly affecting children and adolescents. This includes promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyles early in life, ensuring that children and adolescents are equipped with the knowledge, environments, and opportunities to make healthy choices that last a lifetime, as well as strengthening resilience to respond to mental health challenges.

Through initiatives such as Kaigen Hin'gamaa and Kihineh, we are committed to protecting the gains made in early childhood while strengthening systems to respond to emerging challenges. We are also working with partners and communities to promote positive behaviors and reinforce that health and wellbeing begin at home, in schools, and in communities. 

The evidence is clear: nutritious diets support growth and learning; regular physical activity strengthens both body and mind; adequate sleep supports emotional wellbeing; and self-care practices build resilience and enable children and adolescents to better respond to stress and mental health challenges.

UNICEF calls for accelerated action in four key areas:

• Protect and sustain essential health services, including immunization, maternal and newborn care, and nutrition, ensuring equitable access for every child across all islands.
• Invest in prevention and early intervention, by embedding healthy lifestyles – nutrition, physical activity, and social-emotional learning – into schools, communities, and primary health care.
• Strengthen adolescent health, including mental health and substance-use prevention, through integrated services within primary health care, early identification, and accessible referral pathways.
• Strengthen health systems and data, including the health workforce, digital health solutions, and real-time data to inform decisions, improve service quality, and respond to emerging risks.

On World Health Day and every day, we call on families, caregivers, educators, policymakers, and partners to join our common road to ensuring that every child, on every island, grows up healthy, protected, and able to thrive.