Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all deaths of children under five, “reflecting slower progress in preventing deaths in the perinatal period.”
Global progress in reducing child mortality has slowed, with 4.9 million children expected to die before the age of five in 2024, according to a UN report released this Wednesday.
According to the document, of these 4.9 million children, 2.3 million would be newborns and the majority of deaths, the document states, could have been avoided with low-cost preventive interventions and access to quality healthcare.
The report “Levels and Trends in Child Mortality” indicates that worldwide deaths of children under five years of age have more than halved since 2000. But from 2015 onwards the rate of reduction decreased by more than 60%.
“This year’s report provides the clearest and most detailed picture yet of how many children, adolescents and young people are dying, where they are dying and – for the first time – fully integrates estimates on the causes of death,” says the World Health Organization (WHO) in a statement about the report, which estimates that in 2024 100,000 children (aged one to 59 months) will die from severe acute malnutrition.
But, notes the WHO, the number will be much higher if indirect effects are taken into account, because malnutrition weakens the immunity of children, who are more vulnerable to common childhood illnesses. Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan are among the countries with the most cases.
According to the report, newborn deaths account for almost half of all deaths of children under five, “reflecting slower progress in preventing deaths in the perinatal period.”
Among the main causes of death in newborns are complications resulting from premature birth (36%) and complications during labor and delivery (21%).
Infections, including neonatal sepsis and congenital anomalies, were also important causes.
The WHO further explains that after the first month infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia were the main causes of death. Malaria continues to be the leading cause of death in this age group (17%), with the majority of deaths occurring in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
The report also indicates that child deaths remain heavily concentrated in a small number of regions. In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58% of all deaths of children under five, half of them due to infectious diseases.
In South Asia, which accounted for 25% of all deaths of children under five, mortality was driven mainly by complications in the first month of life.
The UN reports that the most fragile and conflict-affected countries continue to bear a disproportionate share of the burden of child mortality, with children born in these contexts almost three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than those born elsewhere.
The report also finds that around 2.1 million children, teenagers and young adults aged 5 to 24 will die in 2024. Infectious diseases and injuries remain the leading causes of death for young people, while risks change in adolescence: self-harm is the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19, and traffic accidents among boys.
In the statement, the WHO notes that changes in the global development financing landscape are putting essential maternal, newborn and child health programs under increasing pressure and highlights the importance of investments in child health, vaccines or the treatment of acute malnutrition. Every dollar invested in child survival can generate up to twenty dollars in social and economic benefits, he emphasizes.
The UN suggests that to save lives, governments, donors and partners must make child survival a priority, focus on those most at risk, and invest in primary health care systems.
