Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely – more than one in ten of all babies around the world. World Prematurity Day is a key moment to focus global attention on the leading cause of child deaths under age 5 – complications from preterm birth – which account for nearly 1 million deaths each year (UNICEF). Without a major push to address prematurity, we will not reach the Sustainable Development Goal for health.
World Prematurity Day is an opportunity to call attention to the heavy burden of death and disability and the pain and suffering that preterm birth causes. It is also a chance to talk about solutions. The multitude of events organized around the globe on World Prematurity Day remains the heart of the effort. Each year, an increasing number of countries have observed World Prematurity Day by organizing national and local events, including public art installations, parliamentary hearings, health professional meetings, and marches.
This toolkit and additional resources are available on the Healthy Newborn Network (HNN) site here.
Please visit www.facebook.com/worldprematurityday to share your World Prematurity Day experiences and plans, download social media resources, and share social media links among your networks.