Decrease in Mortality Rate for Children Under 5
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released encouraging statistics indicating a significant reduction in child mortality rates worldwide. According to the latest report from the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), the number of children dying before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low of 4.9 million in 2022, marking a remarkable 51 percent decline since 2000.
While this progress is commendable, there remains a pressing need for continued efforts to prevent child mortality. Despite the positive trend, data reveals that alongside the 4.9 million young lives lost, an additional 2.1 million children and youths aged 5 to 25 have also succumbed to various causes, with a significant concentration of these deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.
WHO underscores that many of these deaths are attributable to preventable and treatable issues such as complications during childbirth, malaria, and preterm birth. The organization emphasizes that improved access to high-quality primary health care could have potentially saved countless lives.
As such, WHO calls for sustained global commitment and concerted action to address the root causes of child mortality, ensuring that all children, regardless of their geographical location, have access to essential healthcare services that can safeguard their well-being and future.
