By Ms. Vidhya Shree, Head – HR and Business Development, Ovum Woman and Child Specialty Hospital, Bangalore
World Health Day 2025 comes with a deeply meaningful and future-focused theme — “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.” As someone who works closely with both the healthcare team and the community through my role in Human Resources and Business Development, I am proud to be part of an institution that prioritises life’s most precious moments — childbirth and early childhood.
This year’s theme emphasises the importance of maternal and newborn health, not just as a medical concern, but as a social, economic, and moral priority. At Ovum Woman and Child Specialty Hospital, Bangalore, our commitment to this vision is built into our DNA. We believe that a healthy beginning for every mother and baby is the foundation of a hopeful future for society as a whole.
Why Maternal and Newborn Health Must Be a Global Priority
Despite the incredible advancements in medicine and technology, maternal and newborn mortality remain serious challenges. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 800 women die every day globally from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Similarly, millions of newborns don’t survive their first month — many due to causes that could have been avoided with timely and skilled care.
These are not just statistics. They represent stories that were never told, dreams that were never realised, and futures that were never lived. As a developing nation with immense potential, India stands at a crucial intersection where strategic action can save lives and transform communities.
From a Business and HR Perspective: Why This Matters
Often, maternal and newborn health is viewed solely through a clinical lens. But as the Head of HR and Business Development, I see a broader picture. Our healthcare system is built on people — from patients and families to frontline workers, doctors, and hospital teams. When mothers are supported, and babies are born healthy, we are not only building stronger families — we are strengthening our entire workforce, future economy, and national resilience.
- Healthy mothers contribute more confidently to the workforce.
- Healthy children grow into educated, productive citizens.
- Supportive healthcare systems attract skilled professionals and increase trust among communities.
That is why at Ovum, we treat maternal and newborn care not just as a service, but as a social investment.
Ovum’s Integrated Approach to Healthy Beginnings
At Ovum Woman and Child Specialty Hospital, our approach blends clinical excellence, compassionate care, and sustainable growth models that ensure access, affordability, and quality.
- Safe Delivery Practices
Our maternity care units are equipped with advanced technology and staffed by experienced obstetricians. We ensure safe, respectful, and evidence-based deliveries, including for high-risk pregnancies. - State-of-the-Art NICUs and PICUs
We operate Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) with 24/7 specialist care, helping premature and critically ill babies survive and thrive. - Affordable Care for All
We work actively to provide subsidised or low-cost care for economically disadvantaged families, partnering with government and private programs. We also support health insurance literacy and enrollment. - Community Outreach and Awareness
Our HR and business team plays a pivotal role in conducting rural health camps, maternal workshops, and awareness drives, helping educate communities on antenatal care, breastfeeding, nutrition, and danger signs during pregnancy. - Employee-Led Patient Experience Programs
Through our patient support teams and nurses, we create personalised care journeys — not just clinical checklists. Every mother is treated with dignity, empathy, and continuous guidance.
Challenges We Must Still Address
Even as we celebrate progress, significant gaps remain in both public and private maternal-newborn care ecosystems:
- Delayed Antenatal Check-ups
Many expectant mothers still reach us late in pregnancy due to lack of awareness or social stigma. - Maternal Nutrition and Anaemia
Undernourished mothers remain a challenge in both urban slums and rural areas, leading to low-birth-weight babies. - Mental Health and Postpartum Support
Postpartum depression and anxiety are underdiagnosed and often go untreated, affecting both mother and child bonding. - Healthcare Accessibility
Infrastructure gaps in rural settings and financial constraints still limit timely access to emergency obstetric or neonatal care.
As a responsible hospital, we are using our HR and business development channels to strategically scale our services, innovate solutions, and bridge these gaps.
Looking Ahead: Building Hope Through Action
We believe the vision of “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” must translate into actionable goals. Our roadmap at Ovum for the upcoming year includes:
- Digital Health Education Programs
Launching mobile-based education tools for expectant mothers, especially in underserved communities, in local languages. - Expanding Access to High-Risk Care
Setting up satellite clinics and digital screening hubs that can quickly refer high-risk pregnancies to tertiary centres. - Integrated Maternal Mental Health Program
Training our staff to screen and support women facing postpartum stress, while building community referral networks for long-term care. - Public-Private Partnership Engagements
Collaborating with NGOs and government schemes to provide institutional deliveries, vaccinations, and early childhood care to low-income groups. - Workforce Well-being Programs
We also take pride in prioritising our internal teams’ health, safety, and professional development — because a motivated workforce delivers the best maternal and newborn care.
Real Stories, Real Impact
Behind every number is a story. Just last month, our team handled a complex delivery involving a mother with uncontrolled gestational diabetes and fetal distress. The baby, born at 32 weeks, required NICU support for 4 weeks. Today, that child is growing well and being breastfed, thanks to the efforts of our clinical, nursing, admin, and HR teams who coordinated seamlessly.
This is what “hopeful futures” look like — and this is what inspires us to do more, every single day.
Conclusion: The Future Is Born Today
On this World Health Day 2025, let us all recognise that every safe birth is a victory, and every healthy newborn is a promise. But this promise must be nurtured with systems that are strong, inclusive, and compassionate.
As the Head of HR and Business Development at Ovum, I strongly believe that healthcare is not just about healing — it’s about enabling people to live full, dignified lives right from the beginning. That is why we continue to invest in mothers, newborns, and the teams who serve them.
Let’s work together to ensure no woman dies while giving life, and no child is denied their first breath, first cry, or first chance. Because when we ensure healthy beginnings, we truly build hopeful futures.
