Monrovia, Liberia - First Lady Kartumu Y. Boakai is taking on her new role as Liberia’s Chief Champion for Maternal and Neonatal Health with a strong determination to reverse the trend of mother and child deaths.

Announced by Health Minister Dr. Louise Kpoto on Monday, April 8, during World Health Day commemoration, the First Lady accepted the new portfolio with ‘solemn duty and fervent passion,’ rallying the support of everyone.

“I implore each one of you, within the sound of my voice and beyond, to join us as we embark on a crusade against the preventable tragedies that befall our mothers and infants,” Mrs. Boakai asserted.

“My little thing is to join the many voices to advocate for healthcare and champion policies and partnerships that reinforce our health systems, amplify the voices of women and girls, and marshal the necessary resources to secure our shared vision.

She decried unacceptable Liberia’s current maternal and neonatal mortality rates at which 742 mothers die in every 100,000 births and 37 children in every one thousand births. As Mother of the Nation, the First Lady appeared troubled that the country continues to lose many of its esteem and potential citizens to preventable situations like maternal and newborn deaths.

“These are not mere numbers; they are echoes of the anguish that alarmed through our communities with the loss of every mother, sister, and child—Every number having a name, every data a heartbeat… Let us be the generation that defies the odds, that turns the tide that declares with one voice: 'Not one more mother, not one more child, will we lose on our watch,” Mrs. Boakai declared.

Remarking during the World Health Day program, Mrs. Boakai empathized with fathers and mothers who endure the distress, fear, and uncertainties of their unborn babies or the demise of newborns at birth.

“Just imagine the heartbreak of a father at the JFK Hospital who held his newborn for mere moments before the child was swept away by the cruel tide of mortality. Or perhaps hearing the voice in the glow of dawn, a mother whispers prayers for the life of her unborn child, a battle against the darkness of uncertainty. Such a painful reality should never be an experience in our modern society. We need to unite as a global village to bring an end to maternal and neonatal mortality.”

With hundreds of students, representatives of various local and international organizations along government officials in attendance, Mrs. Boakai emphasized that the World Health Day celebration was critical. She stressed that the theme: “My Health, My Right,” was a call to action, challenging everyone to take bold and decisive steps, to safeguard the lives of our women, children, and adolescents.

“Let us remember, that the struggle for healthcare equality is not a solitary battle waged in distant lands; it is a global crusade that requires every ounce of our collective strength, wisdom, and empathy. In every heart that beats with hope, in every voice that rises in advocacy, we find the fearless spirit that can turn the tide against despair and usher in an era of health and prosperity for all,” Mrs. Boakai asserted.

World Health Day, commemorated on April 7 each year, marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization and promotes awareness of health concerns affecting the world. Liberia officially commemorated the day on Monday, April 8, instead of the actual date which fell on Sunday, a non-working day.

Held under the auspices of the World Health Organization, WHO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and partners, the day highlighted the need to prioritize health as a universal human right for all without discrimination.

WHO Country Representative Dr. Clement Peter Lugala said this year’s commemoration is focused on campaigning for quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare for everyone regardless of status. Health Minister Dr. Kpoto assured the government’s commitment to working together with partners in improving health services and ensuring programs and policies to achieve health targets.

Meanwhile, the Senate committee chair on health, Senator Dabah M. Varpilah, who lost her twin in childbirth, also accepted her new role as co-champion for mother-child health, committing to advocating for increased budgetary allocations to the health sector among others.