The United Nations has decried the slow progress in reducing child mortality, as 4.9 million children still die annually before their first birthday.
Some UN agencies under the aegis of the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday, according to a new report.
The new UN report on child mortality fully assesses the leading causes of under-five deaths for the first time.
It states that an estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to new estimates released on Wednesday.
The report also notes that most of these deaths are preventable with proven, low-cost interventions and access to quality healthcare.
According to the report, titled “Level and Trends in Child Mortality,” under-five deaths globally have fallen by more than half since 2000.
However, it says that since 2015, the pace of reduction in child mortality has slowed by more than 60 per cent.
“This year’s report provides the clearest and most detailed picture yet of how many children, adolescents, and youth are dying, where they are dying, and – for the first time – fully integrates estimates on the causes of death.
“For the first time, the report estimates deaths directly caused by Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), finding that more than 100,000 children aged 1-59 months – or 5 per cent – died from it in 2024.
“The toll is far greater when indirect effects are considered, as malnutrition weakens children’s immunity and increases their risk of dying from common childhood diseases,” the report says.
The statement quoted UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, as saying: “No child should die from diseases that we know how to prevent.
“However, we see worrying signs that progress in child survival is slowing – and at a time when we’re seeing further global budget cuts.
“History has shown what is possible when the world commits to protecting its children. With sustained investment and political will, we can continue to build on those achievements for future generations.”
Commenting on the report, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, said: “The world has made remarkable progress in saving children’s lives, but many still die from preventable causes.
“Children living amid conflict and crisis are nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday.
“We must protect essential health and nutrition services and reach the most vulnerable families so every child has the chance not only to survive, but to thrive.”
Also reacting to the report, World Bank Group Director, Health, Monique Vledder, said: “These findings are a collective call to speed up implementation of the proven, scalable solutions we know are within reach.
“The World Bank Group health target of reaching 1.5 billion people is our concrete commitment to accelerating access to quality primary health services for more children and families.”
The report further stated that mortality data also frequently fail to capture SAM as an underlying cause of death, suggesting the burden is likely substantially underestimated.
Some of the countries with the highest numbers of direct deaths include Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan.
“Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all under-five deaths, reflecting slower progress in preventing deaths around the time of birth.
“Leading causes among newborns were complications from preterm birth (36 per cent) and complications during labour and delivery (21 per cent).
“Infections, including neonatal sepsis and congenital anomalies, were also important causes,” the report further says.
Beyond the first month, the report states that infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia are major killers.
It notes that malaria remains the single largest killer in this age group (17 per cent), with most deaths occurring in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
After steep declines between 2000 and 2015, progress towards reducing malaria mortality slowed in recent years.
It further reveals that deaths remain concentrated in a handful of endemic countries – such as Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, and Nigeria.
The report explains that these are where conflict, climate shocks, invasive mosquitoes, drug resistance, and other biological threats continue to affect access to prevention and treatment.
“Child deaths remain heavily concentrated in a small number of regions. In 2024, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58 per cent of all under-five deaths.
“In the region, the leading infectious diseases were responsible for 54 per cent of all under-five deaths.
“In Europe and North America, this proportion drops to 9 per cent, and in Australia and New Zealand, it drops further to 6 per cent. These stark disparities reflect unequal access to proven, life-saving interventions,” it says.
According to the report, fragile and conflict-affected countries continue to bear a disproportionate share of the burden.
Children born in these settings are nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than those elsewhere.
The report also finds that an estimated 2.1 million children, adolescents, and youth aged 5–24 died in 2024.
Infectious diseases and injuries remain leading causes among younger children, while risks shift in adolescence, with self-harm being the leading cause of death among girls aged 15–19, and road traffic injuries among boys.
(NAN)
