Deaths of under-fives have fallen 54 % since 2000, but the annual rate of decline has slowed by more than 60 % since 2015, according to the study “Levels & trends in child mortality.”
“Almost five million children—an entire small country—are lost each year, even though low-cost, proven interventions and basic medical care could save most of them,” said Renata Bem, head of UNICEF Poland.
Undernutrition was cited as a leading factor, linked directly to more than 100,000 deaths among one- to 50-month-olds and indirectly to far more. Infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia remained the main killers after the first month of life; malaria alone accounted for 17 % of deaths in that group, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The region recorded 58 % of all under-five deaths, while South Asia accounted for 25 %. Children born in conflict zones were almost three times likelier to die before age five than those elsewhere, the report said.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called the slowdown “deeply worrying,” adding, “No child should die from preventable diseases at a time of global budget cuts”.
The study also highlighted mortality among older children and youths: 2.1 million people aged 5–24 died in 2024, with self-harm the leading cause among girls aged 15-19 and traffic accidents among boys.
“Every dollar invested in child survival can yield up to USD 20 in social and economic benefits,” said Monique Vledder of the World Bank, urging governments to prioritize primary health care and focus on high-risk areas.
The authors called for accelerated funding, simplified access to medicines and stronger accountability to meet global child-mortality targets.
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Source: PAP