LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) – About 200,000 more children are likely to die before their fifth birthday this year than in 2024 – the first increase in preventable child deaths this century – in the wake of cuts in international aid, the Gates Foundation said on Thursday.
In 2024, it is estimated that 4.6 million children will die before their fifth birthday. This year, that number is expected to be 4.8 million, the Gates Foundation said. Child deaths have almost halved since 2000.
‘For decades, the world has made steady progress to save children’s lives. But now, as challenges mount, that progress is reversing,’ said Bill Gates, president of the eponymous foundation, in a foreword to his annual Goalkeepers report.
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The report tracks progress toward the United Nations’ sustainable development goals to reduce poverty and improve health. It is usually published in September but was delayed this year due to uncertainty over global health financing.
Cuts to international aid began with the United States at the start of the year but have since spread to other major donors such as the United Kingdom and Germany. Overall, global development assistance for health fell just under 27% this year compared with 2024, according to the report.
The cuts are one of the main reasons for the reversal of progress in combating child mortality, Gates said, although other issues, such as countries facing rising debt and fragile health systems, are also factors. Earlier this year, Gates warned that the cuts would lead to the deaths of more children.
If the cuts are permanent, it could mean between 12 and 16 million more child deaths by 2045, the report adds, depending on funding levels. This year, the increase in the number of deaths could equal the number from 2023, the last year for which the World Health Organization (WHO) has data.
The report’s numbers are based on models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
Gates called on governments and people to mobilize and focus on innovative new tools, as well as proven solutions, such as vaccination and investment in primary health care, to improve children’s health.
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(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby)
