Tayari News
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 by the United Nations. Most of these deaths could be prevented through proven, low-cost interventions and improved access to quality health care.
The findings are contained in the report Levels and Trends in Child Mortality, which shows that global under-five deaths have fallen by more than half since 2000. However, progress has slowed significantly since 2015, with the pace of reduction in child mortality dropping by more than 60 per cent.
The report provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of how many children, adolescents, and youth are dying worldwide, where these deaths occur, and, for the first time, integrates detailed estimates on the causes of death.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that the slowdown in progress is concerning, especially amid declining global funding for health programmes. She noted that many of the diseases killing children are preventable. She said global experience has shown that when countries prioritise child survival through sustained investment and strong political commitment, major improvements are possible.
The report also estimates deaths directly linked to severe acute malnutrition (SAM), finding that more than 100,000 children aged between one and 59 months died from the condition in 2024, representing about five per cent of such deaths. Experts say the real toll is likely higher because malnutrition weakens children’s immune systems and increases their risk of dying from other illnesses.
In many cases, mortality records do not list severe acute malnutrition as an underlying cause of death. Countries with some of the highest numbers of direct deaths linked to malnutrition include Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan.
Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all under-five deaths, reflecting slower progress in preventing deaths around childbirth. The leading causes among newborns include complications from preterm birth (36 per cent) and complications during labour and delivery (21 per cent). Infections such as neonatal sepsis and congenital abnormalities also contribute significantly.
After the first month of life, infectious diseases become the main killers. Malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia are among the leading causes of death, with malaria alone accounting for 17 per cent of deaths among children aged one to 59 months. Most malaria-related deaths occur in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
Although malaria deaths declined sharply between 2000 and 2015, progress has slowed in recent years. Deaths remain heavily concentrated in countries such as Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Nigeria, where conflict, climate shocks, drug resistance, and the spread of invasive mosquito species continue to undermine prevention and treatment efforts.
Overall, child deaths remain heavily concentrated in a few regions. In 2024, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58 per cent of all under-five deaths worldwide. Infectious diseases were responsible for 54 per cent of deaths in the region, compared to 9 per cent in Europe and North America and 6 per cent in Australia and New Zealand.
Experts at the World Health Organisation say these stark disparities highlight unequal access to life-saving health services and interventions. In Southern Asia, which accounted for 25 per cent of under-five deaths, mortality is largely driven by complications in the first month of life, including preterm birth, birth asphyxia, congenital abnormalities, and neonatal infections. Experts say these deaths could be reduced through improved antenatal care, skilled health workers at delivery, and better care for vulnerable newborns.
Children born in fragile and conflict-affected countries face the greatest risks. The report notes that they are nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than children born in more stable settings.
Beyond early childhood, mortality remains a major concern among older children and young people. The report estimates that 2.1 million children, adolescents, and youth aged 5 to 24 died in 2024. Infectious diseases and injuries remain the leading causes among younger children, while risks shift during adolescence. Among girls aged 15 to 19, self-harm is the leading cause of death, while road traffic injuries are the leading cause among boys of the same age group.
To accelerate progress and save lives, the World Health Organisation has urged governments and donors to prioritise child survival through stronger political commitment and increased investment. This includes mobilising domestic resources in high-burden countries and expanding access to affordable, evidence-based health services.
The organisation also recommends strengthening accountability for existing commitments to reduce maternal, newborn, and child deaths. This includes improving data collection, monitoring, and reporting, as well as investing in primary health care systems capable of preventing, diagnosing, and treating the leading causes of child mortality.
Evidence in the report shows that investments in child health remain among the most cost-effective development strategies. Proven interventions such as vaccines, treatment for severe acute malnutrition, and skilled care at birth deliver high returns by improving productivity, strengthening economies, and reducing future public spending.
Li Liu, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the principal investigator of the study, said many deaths among children under five, from preterm birth complications, respiratory infections, and injuries, can be prevented through affordable and well-established interventions.
She emphasised that targeted investments in primary health care, maternal and newborn services, routine immunisation, nutrition programmes, and reliable health data systems could save millions of children’s lives worldwide.
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