Child deaths progress has stalled, UN reports

The UN, UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank reported that nearly 4.9 million children under five died in 2024 and said progress in reducing child mortality has slowed since 2015.

The United Nations and partner agencies reported that progress in reducing deaths among children under five has stalled, with nearly 4.9 million such deaths in 2024. The report was published jointly by the UN, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank and compares recent trends with declines since 2000. Agencies said many of the deaths could have been prevented with established, low-cost health interventions. They also noted that reductions in global health aid in recent years are expected to complicate efforts to resume progress. Key facts: - The report lists nearly 4.9 million under-five deaths in 2024 and describes slowed progress since about 2015. - Malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia and malnutrition were identified as the leading causes of these deaths. - About 2.3 million of the deaths were newborns, linked to complications around birth and early infections. - Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia together accounted for roughly 83% of under-five deaths while representing about 59% of global births. Summary: The agencies said the stagnation reverses some of the gains made since 2000 and highlighted persistent regional disparities in child survival. They reported that recent reductions in global health aid are likely to make addressing these gaps more difficult. Undetermined at this time.