SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being | SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Institutions: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the report of the 11th meeting of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE) on Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health & Nutrition (MNCAHN), held in Geneva (10β12 June 2025). The report consolidates recommendations on sustaining progress in maternal and child health amid tightening global aid flows.
Key takeaways include:
Financing pressures: With development assistance for health plateauing, countries must mobilise more domestic resources for MNCAHN priorities.
Health in crises: Urgent emphasis on maintaining maternal and child health services in humanitarian settings.
Adolescent health: Guidance to scale up preventive interventions, including mental health and nutrition support.
Post-2030 agenda: A call to shape next-generation global health goals beyond SDG timelines.
Health workforce: Stronger planning for skilled professionals across the life course, especially midwives and primary health workers.
India, with its large maternal and adolescent population, can draw from STAGEβs guidance to align Ayushman Bharat, Poshan 2.0, and adolescent health programmes with global best practice, while also preparing for reduced donor support.
What is STAGE? β The Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts advises WHO on maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition, issuing independent recommendations that shape global policy and national health strategies.
Follow the full report here: WHO STAGE Report, June 2025