Home / Health / Child Deaths Rise: Aid Cuts Threaten Survival Goals
Child Deaths Rise: Aid Cuts Threaten Survival Goals
18 Mar
Summary
- Nearly 5 million children died in 2024, mostly from preventable causes.
- Progress in child survival has slowed, threatening global 2030 goals.
- Aid cuts have led to facility closures, reversing decades of progress.
UN experts are sounding the alarm as progress in preventing child deaths has significantly slowed, putting the global goal of ending preventable child mortality by 2030 at risk. In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children under five died, with many deaths attributed to preventable causes like premature birth and pneumonia.
These setbacks are compounded by substantial aid cuts, which are impacting health systems worldwide. Reports indicate that 6,600 health facilities have been affected, with a third forced to close, directly threatening lifesaving services. This reversal of progress is particularly concerning in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Malaria and severe acute malnutrition were also identified as major contributors to child mortality. Humanitarian workers stress that sustained investment in healthcare, including vaccinations and newborn care, is essential to reverse the current trajectory and ensure child survival rates improve.
