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Accelerating Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality. @GIZ

At the World Health Assembly (WHA) 2026 in Geneva, one message stood out: evidence alone is not enough. From adolescent health to maternal care and supply chains, discussions focused on turning proven solutions into financed, integrated actions that truly reach those most in need.

At this years World Health Assembly, side events drew large and diverse audiences – from NGOs to political leaders – creating vibrant spaces for exchange that extended well beyond the walls of the WHO Palais, where discussions continued across sectors. One message came through repeatedly: evidence alone is not enough. Across sessions on adolescent health, maternal and newborn survival, civil society space, and supply chains, speakers returned to the same challenge: how to turn proven ideas into sustained, well-financed action that reaches the people who need it most. 

From evidence to implementation 

The gap between what is known and what is delivered especially in the area of maternal and newborn health was one of the strongest themes at WHA. Many interventions already exist, but too often funding is fragmented, programmes operate in silos, and promising approaches do not scale beyond pilot projects. Participants argued for a shift away from vertical projects toward integrated systems, stronger local delivery capacity, and a sharper focus on quality as well as coverage.

A recurring point was that implementation pathways matter just as much as impact data. Policymakers and partners need to show not only that an intervention works, but how it can be adapted, financed, and embedded in real-world systems.

Who gets a seat at the table 

This perspective was particularly visible in discussions on adolescent health and well-being, where a central question guided the debate: who gets a seat at the table? While adolescent health was framed as a core development priority, speakers highlighted that inclusion often remains uneven. Young people are not a homogeneous group, and programmes must reflect differences in age, gender, and social realities. Meaningful participation also stood out as a key concern – adolescents should not just be included as a symbolic gesture, but recognised as legitimate partners in design, decision-making, and accountability.

Schools featured prominently as spaces where well-being, protection, and early support can come together. The underlying message was clear: protecting adolescents is also an investment in the future.

Sessions also highlighted the importance of youth-friendly and confidential services. Health, participants argued, is a human right, including for adolescents, and services must therefore be accessible, trusted, and appropriate to young people’s lives.

The discussion went beyond availability alone. Several speakers emphasised that programmes must take social context seriously and remain flexible enough to be adapted to national realities. In practice, this means designing services with young people, not only for them.

Financing commitments and systems to save lives 

Maternal and newborn health sessions reinforced the idea that progress depends on long-term political and financial commitment. Announced commitments reflect this shared responsibility: Belgium and Luxembourg each pledged 4 Mio. € to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership; Ethiopia committed 150 Mio. USD for commodities over the next three years, Nigeria announced a contribution of 1 Mio. USD for life-saving maternal health medicines; and Ghana promised 1.4 Mio. USD to procure contraceptives, including condoms, implants and injectables.

Country examples showed that results are possible when governments, health workers, communities, and partners work together over time. Nepal accelerated reductions in under-five mortality (to around 28 per 1000 live births) through sustained political commitment, strong community-based systems led by Female Community Health Volunteers, and coordinated partnerships across government, UN agencies, and NGOs. Progress was driven by a focus on equity, quality, and resilient primary health care, combining community-based interventions with strengthened supply-side services. Lebanon, despite overlapping crises, demonstrates that collective efforts across government, providers, and partners can sustain positive maternal and neonatal health outcomes, highlighting the importance of resilience, coordination, and continued investment in quality care. Midwives were repeatedly highlighted as a key workforce, and community-based platforms were described as important bridges between households and health facilities. The same logic applies to newborn survival: proven interventions exist, but they need to be embedded in functioning systems, supported by training, data, and reliable referral pathways. The aim is to build systems that can prevent avoidable deaths consistently.

Building resilient health systems and accountability 

Another strong thread was the role of civil society in evidence generation, advocacy, and accountability. Youth-led and women-led organisations were described as crucial partners, yet many remain underfunded and face a shrinking civic space.

Participants called for flexible, long-term financing and for institutionalised mechanisms that make civil society participation routine rather than exceptional. The message was not that governments or philanthropy should be replaced, but that civil society must be strengthened as an essential part of the health ecosystem.

System strengthening came up in almost every session. Speakers pointed to the importance of linked data systems, digital tools, stable supply chains, and functioning logistics as the practical backbone of better care. Fragmented data and weak coordination were described as barriers not only to efficiency, but to equity and accountability.

Local production and pooled procurement of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) commodities were also discussed as strategic issues for health security and access. Dependence on imports can expose countries to stockouts, transport disruptions, and other shocks, while regional cooperation and stronger manufacturing capacity can improve resilience over time.

A shared conclusion 

The overall message from Geneva was that progress will depend on more than technical solutions. What is needed is political prioritisation, sustainable financing, cross-sector coordination, and genuine accountability to the people most affected.

Whether the topic was adolescent well-being, maternal survival, or supply security, the same principle held true: effective health policy must move from isolated interventions to integrated systems, and from speaking about communities to designing with them.

Nina Hagner
June 2026