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Ramaphosa: Too Many Women and Children Are Dying From Preventable Causes

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2 weeks ago

August 21, 2025

Chiraag

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered a stark warning to global leaders. Far too many South African women, children, and adolescents are dying from causes that modern healthcare can prevent. These are not rare tragedies. They are happening in hospitals, clinics, and homes across the country every day, and they are completely avoidable.

Speaking at the United Nations Population Fund and Global Leaders Network in 2025, Ramaphosa called on governments, civil society, and the private sector to act with urgency. He said that the continued loss of life from preventable causes was a reflection of political failure, not medical impossibility.

A Wake-Up Call From the Top

Ramaphosa’s message was blunt. No woman should die while giving birth. No child should be lost to a treatable infection. No teenager should suffer or die because their community lacks access to basic care.

He reminded world leaders that saving lives is not just about medicine. It is about political will, proper planning, and holding institutions accountable. Every avoidable death, he said, reflects a breakdown in systems that are supposed to protect people.

More Than Health: A Call to Rebuild

Ramaphosa stressed that this is not just a healthcare crisis. It is a development crisis. Health cannot be treated as a separate issue. It is deeply linked to education, climate, technology, and economic policy.

He urged leaders to do three key things:

Keep health funding for women, children, and adolescents at the centre of development, no matter how priorities shift.
Make health part of climate and recovery strategies so systems can adapt and survive.
Use innovation and digital tools to reach people in rural and marginalised areas, where access remains a major challenge.

If the country fails to act, the cost will be more than the lives lost. Communities will break down. Economic progress will stall. Futures will be cut short.

What South Africans Are Saying

In South Africa, the speech struck a nerve. On social media, users were quick to support the president’s message, but many said the words need to lead to action.

Some questioned why clinics in rural areas still do not have running water. Others pointed to long delays in emergency services and maternity wards. The sentiment was clear. People want to see the promises delivered, not just spoken.

A 2030 Deadline

Ramaphosa’s address also comes at a crucial moment. The clock is ticking on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. South Africa, like many countries, is not on track to meet targets related to maternal and child health. Experts say progress needs to accelerate by several times if the country hopes to catch up by 2030.

This will require investment, infrastructure, and above all, follow-through.

The Bottom Line

Ramaphosa’s message was more than a speech. It was a line in the sand. South Africa cannot accept the deaths of women, children, and adolescents from preventable causes. These lives are not statistics. They are mothers, sons, daughters, and futures that should be protected.

What happens next will show whether this moment becomes a turning point or another missed opportunity.