A new United Nations report has revealed a concerning slowdown in the reduction of child deaths, with an estimated 4.9 million children, including 2.3 million newborns, dying before their fifth birthday in 2024.
While global under-five deaths have more than halved since 2000, the pace of decline has decelerated by over 60 percent since 2015.
The report, Levels & Trends in Child Mortality, provides the most comprehensive assessment to date, integrating estimates on the leading causes of death for the first time.
It highlights that most of these deaths are preventable through proven, low-cost interventions and access to quality healthcare.
Key Findings:
Malnutrition’s Hidden Toll: For the first time, the report estimates over 100,000 children aged 1-59 months died directly from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2024.
The actual impact is far greater when considering indirect effects, as malnutrition weakens immunity and increases susceptibility to common childhood diseases. Countries like Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan bear a significant burden of direct SAM-related deaths.
Newborn Vulnerability: Newborn deaths constitute nearly half of all under-five fatalities, indicating slower progress in preventing deaths around birth.
Complications from preterm birth (36%) and labor/delivery (21%) are primary causes among newborns, alongside infections and congenital anomalies.
Infectious Diseases Persist: Beyond the first month, infectious diseases remain major killers. Malaria accounts for 17% of deaths in this age group.
Predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, where progress has slowed since 2015 due to factors like conflict, climate shocks, and drug resistance. Diarrhea and pneumonia also contribute significantly.
Geographic Disparities: Child deaths are heavily concentrated in specific regions. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58% of all under-five deaths in 2024, with infectious diseases responsible for 54% of these.
Southern Asia contributed 25% of under-five deaths, largely driven by complications in the first month of life. In contrast, Europe and Northern America, and Australia and New Zealand, show significantly lower proportions, underscoring unequal access to life-saving interventions.Fragile Settings at Risk: Children in fragile and conflict-affected countries are nearly three times more likely to die before age five.
Older Child Mortality: An estimated 2.1 million children, adolescents, and youth aged 5–24 died in 2024.
While infectious diseases and injuries are leading causes for younger children, risks shift in adolescence, with self-harm being the leading cause for girls aged 15–19 and road traffic injuries for boys.Call to Action:
The report emphasizes that investments in child health are among the most cost-effective development measures, with every dollar invested potentially generating up to twenty dollars in social and economic benefits. To accelerate progress, governments, donors, and partners must:
Prioritize Child Survival: Make child survival a political and financing priority, mobilizing domestic resources and improving access to affordable, quality services.
Focus on High-Risk Populations: Target mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Asia, and conflict-affected settings.
Strengthen Accountability: Enhance transparent data collection, tracking, and reporting for existing commitments.Invest in Primary Healthcare: Bolster primary healthcare systems to prevent, diagnose, and treat leading causes of child death, including through community health workers and skilled birth attendants.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated, “No child should die from diseases that we know how to prevent. But we see worrying signs that progress in child survival is slowing.”
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added, “Children living amid conflict and crisis are nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday.”
These leaders, along with representatives from the World Bank Group and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, urged renewed commitment and investment to ensure every child has the chance to survive and thrive.
