Context: The number of children who died before their 5th birthday has fallen according to estimates released by United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME).
Key findings of report:
- Annual number of under-five deaths has fallen to 4.9 million, with almost half of these deaths being babies just born in 2022 or about half the number that occurred in 2000.
- In Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia, and Rwanda, where the number of children dying before age five has dropped by more than 75% since 2000.
- Around 2.1 million kids and young people between 5 to 24 years old died, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.
- In India:
- Infant mortality rate: From 66.45 (2000) to 25.53 (2022)
- Neonatal mortality rate: From 44.68 to 18.13 (2022)
- Under five mortality rate : From around 25 lakh (2000) to about 6.5 lakh (2022)
- The contributions of midwives, community health workers, and skilled health personnel have been pivotal in achieving these milestones.
Challenges in preventing child deaths
- Threats and inequities: Increasing inequity, economic instability, conflicts, climate change impacts, and the aftermath of Covid-19 pose significant threats to child survival.
- Data gaps: Especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, large gaps in data hinder the tracking and monitoring of child survival and health.
- SDG targets at risk: At the current pace, 59 countries will miss the SDG under-five mortality target, and 64 will not meet the new-born mortality goal, potentially resulting in 35 million child deaths by 2030.
Way forward to end preventable child deaths:
- Investment in healthcare: Increased investments are needed in primary healthcare, including for community health workers, to ensure access to quality health services.
- Integration and support of health workers: Community health workers should be integrated into healthcare systems, fairly compensated, well-trained, and well-equipped.
- Improving data systems: Enhancing health information management systems and civil registration and vital statistics is crucial for better monitoring and action.
- Global commitment and collaboration: Accelerated progress requires global commitment, collaboration, and focused investments to end preventable child and youth deaths.
About UNIGME:
- Formed in 2004.
- To share data on child mortality, improve methods for child mortality estimation, report on progress towards child survival goals and enhance country capacity to produce timely and properly assessed estimates of child mortality.
- It is led by UNICEF and includes the WHO, World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
- Under-five mortality rate: Probability of dying between birth and exactly 5 years of age, expressed per 1,000 live births.
- Infant mortality rate: Probability of dying between birth and exactly 1 year of age, expressed per 1,000 live births.
- Neonatal mortality rate: Probability of dying in the first 28 days of life, expressed per 1,000 live births.