The global fight against child mortality has achieved a significant milestone, as the latest data from the UN reveals that the number of children dying before their fifth birthday has dropped to 4.9 million in 2022. This marks a 51% decline in the global under-five mortality rate since 2000, showcasing the progress made in saving young lives.
Countries like Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia, and Rwanda have made remarkable strides in reducing their under-five mortality rates by over 75% during this time period. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell commended the efforts of midwives, health workers, and community health workers for their dedication in contributing to this decline.
The UN Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), formed in 2004, plays a crucial role in sharing data and improving methods for estimating child mortality rates. Led by UNICEF and including partners like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank Group, the UN IGME tracks progress towards child survival goals.
Despite these achievements, there is still a long way to go in ending all preventable child and teen deaths. Millions of children continue to die from treatable causes such as preterm birth complications, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria. The majority of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, underscoring regional disparities in healthcare access.
Challenges such as economic instability, conflicts, climate change, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hinder progress and worsen existing disparities in mortality rates. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the need to improve access to quality healthcare for every woman and child, regardless of where they are born.
Investing in education, jobs, and decent working conditions for health workers, including community health workers, is crucial to saving children’s lives and ensuring they have access to essential healthcare services. The World Bank’s Global Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population, Juan Pablo Uribe, stressed the importance of accelerating progress to ensure that all children have equal opportunities for a healthy future.
