4.9 Million Children Died Before Age Five In 2024 – UN Report

A new report released on Wednesday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided the most comprehensive assessment yet of global child mortality, revealing that millions of deaths among children under five remain preventable despite decades of progress.

According to the report, Levels and Trends in Child Mortality, an estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns.

While under-five deaths have declined by more than half since 2000, the pace of progress has slowed significantly since 2015, dropping by over 60 per cent.

The report, compiled by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, offers the clearest picture yet of where, how, and why children, adolescents, and young people are dying.

For the first time, it fully integrates data on causes of death, including those linked to severe acute malnutrition.

Findings show that more than 100,000 children aged between one and 59 months died directly from severe acute malnutrition in 2024, accounting for about five per cent of deaths in that age group.

However, the actual toll is believed to be significantly higher, as malnutrition weakens immunity and increases vulnerability to common childhood diseases.

Countries such as Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan recorded some of the highest numbers of such deaths.

Newborn deaths continue to account for nearly half of all under-five fatalities, reflecting slower progress in addressing risks around childbirth.

The leading causes include complications from preterm birth (36 per cent) and complications during labour and delivery (21 per cent), alongside infections such as neonatal sepsis and congenital anomalies.

Beyond the neonatal period, infectious diseases remain the primary killers. Malaria alone accounts for 17 per cent of deaths among children aged one month to five years, with the majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

Progress in reducing malaria-related deaths has stalled in recent years, particularly in high-burden countries such as Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, and Nigeria, where conflict, climate shocks, and limited healthcare access persist.

Geographical disparities remain stark. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58 per cent of all under-five deaths in 2024, while Southern Asia contributed 25 per cent.

In contrast, infectious diseases accounted for just nine per cent of under-five deaths in Europe and Northern America, and six per cent in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting unequal access to life-saving interventions.

Children in fragile and conflict-affected settings are disproportionately affected, with those born in such environments nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday.

The report also estimates that 2.1 million individuals aged 5 to 24 died in 2024.

Among adolescents, causes of death differ by gender, with self-harm identified as the leading cause among girls aged 15 to 19, while road traffic injuries are the leading cause among boys in the same age group.

Global health experts warn that shifting development financing trends are placing maternal and child health programmes under increasing strain. Sustained investment in primary healthcare, data systems, and essential services is needed to maintain and accelerate progress.

Speaking on the findings, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said, “No child should die from diseases that we know how to prevent. But we see worrying signs that progress in child survival is slowing, and at a time when we’re seeing further global budget cuts.”

Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, added, “The world has made remarkable progress in saving children’s lives, but many still die from preventable causes.

“Children living amid conflict and crisis are nearly three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday.

“We must protect essential health and nutrition services and reach the most vulnerable families so every child has the chance not only to survive, but to thrive.”

Also commenting, World Bank Group Director for Health, Monique Vledder, described the findings as “a collective call to speed up implementation of the proven, scalable solutions we know are within reach,” noting the institution’s commitment to expanding access to quality primary healthcare.

Similarly, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, warned that progress is off track in many countries.

“We know how to prevent these deaths. What is needed now is renewed political commitment, sustained investment in primary health care, and stronger data systems to ensure no child is left behind,” he said.

Health researcher Li Liu emphasised that many child deaths are avoidable through cost-effective interventions, including immunisation, improved nutrition, and quality maternal and newborn care.

The report concludes that scaling up proven, low-cost interventions, such as vaccines, treatment for malnutrition, and skilled care at birth, could significantly reduce child mortality.

It adds that every dollar invested in child survival can generate up to twenty dollars in social and economic returns, underscoring the urgency for governments and global partners to prioritise child health.