We have an opportunity to focus global attention on what should be obvious: every mother, and every child, counts. They count because we value every human life. The evidence is clear that healthy mothers and children are the bedrock of healthy and prosperous communities and nations.

Apart from demonstrating your personal commitment to organizing events around World Health Day, it is going to be vital for us to work together to make 2005 a remarkable year. Every event and every voice on every occasion will be vital in bringing new energy and commitment to turning the tide on a situation we can no longer abide.

Each year more than half a million women die from pregnancy-related causes and 10.6 million children die, 40% of them in the first month of life. Almost all of these deaths are in developing countries. Many could be prevented with well-known interventions, if only they were more widely available. In establishing the Millennium Development Goals four years ago, the international community made a commitment to reducing maternal deaths by three quarters, and reducing child mortality by two thirds by the year 2015.

World Health Day 2005 is a unique opportunity not just to highlight the magnitude of the problem, but to bring all stakeholders together to apply the solutions that work. Whatever kind of event you decide to organize, we hope our World Health Day toolkit will help you leverage the maximum impact, however modest your budget. Use the World Health Day materials and graphics, photographs and features. Use our web site to build new alliances and partnerships. Use your own creativity to start now, and help to ensure we generate change that will last well beyond 7 April 2005. Above all emphasize the need to promote the health of mothers and their children everywhere.

The World Health Organization supports your efforts to make 2005 a landmark year for mothers and children.

Dr LEE Jong-wook
Director-General
World Health Organization