Image used for representation only.
Geneva: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a joint team of UN agencies announced a significant drop in the number of children dying before the age of five, reaching 4.8 million in 2023. Stillbirth cases also saw a slight decline to approximately 1.9 million during the same period.
According to the report, child mortality has halved since 2000, and stillbirths have decreased by more than a third, thanks to sustained investments in global child health. A historic milestone was achieved in 2022, with child mortality dropping below five million annually for the first time. However, the report cautioned that progress is slowing, with preventable causes still claiming young lives.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that Millions of children are alive today thanks to proven interventions such as vaccines, proper nutrition, and access to safe water.
She warned, however, that gains could be reversed without adequate investments and sound decisions.
The interagency group behind the report emphasized that decades of progress in child survival are at risk, citing reductions in funding for life-saving programs by major donors. The report highlighted how funding cuts lead to shortages in healthcare workers, clinic closures, disrupted vaccination programs, and significant deficits in essential supplies.
Global Director for Health and the Global Financing Facility at the World Bank Juan Pablo Uribe stressed that preventable deaths are concentrated in low-income countries, where basic services, vaccines, and treatments remain largely inaccessible.
The report also noted stark disparities in child survival based on birthplace. Children in countries with high mortality rates face an 80-fold risk of dying before their fifth birthday compared to those in low-mortality regions. Sub-Saharan African children are 18 times more likely to die before age five than their peers in Australia or New Zealand.
As for stillbirths, the report highlighted persistent inequalities, with nearly 80% of cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Women in these regions face a six to eight times greater risk of stillbirth compared to their counterparts in Europe or North America. Women in low-income countries face an eightfold higher risk compared to those in high-income nations.
The report concluded by underscoring the urgent need to enhance investments in child health, stressing immediate action to maintain progress in reducing child mortality and stillbirth rates globally.
