Global Child Deaths at Historic Low in 2022 : IGME / UNICEF

 

Global child deaths reached a historic low in 2022 according to the latest estimates by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). More children are surviving today than ever before, with the global under-five mortality rate declining by 51 per cent between 2000 and 2022. This remarkable progress underscores the vital role of quality health care in saving lives, backed by political commitment and adequate resources.

© UNICEF/UN0399448/Bukhari

The analysis in the report demonstrates that even in resource-constrained settings, progress to save children's lives is possible. Several low-income and lower-middle-income countries have made remarkable strides in reducing under-five mortality rates. Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia and Rwanda have reduced under-five mortality by over 75 per cent since 2000, offering compelling evidence of what can be achieved when high-impact interventions are made in child survival. But the findings also show that there is still a long road ahead to ending all preventable child, adolescent and youth deaths. Each year, an estimated 4.9 million children around the world still die before their fifth birthday, and an additional 2.1 million children, adolescents and youth die at ages 5–24. These deaths are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

Access the publication Learn more about UNICEF's data work on child mortality Access the IGME data portal Access the Lancet commentary

Ending preventable child deaths in every community will require targeted investments in available and accessible quality health care, including for skilled health personnel at birth, antenatal and postnatal care, care for small and sick newborns, preventive services such as vaccination, and diagnostic, preventive and curative measures to treat the main causes of childhood death. Data systems must also be strengthened to track and monitor survival by age and to help address underlying inequalities. Such efforts will enable us to move closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to ensuring that every child has an opportunity to thrive.

João Pedro Azevedo Deputy Director Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring UNICEF Anshu Banerjee  Director Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Aging Department World Health Organization

John Wilmoth  Director Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations Haishan Fu  Director Development Data Group World Bank Group