Pandemic Setback: Decade of Health Gains Lost

The COVID-19 pandemic inflicted a historic blow, reversing nearly a decade of progress in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy by 2021. Excess mortality reached its highest point in 2021, with 10.4 million deaths, before declining significantly in subsequent years. Men consistently experienced higher excess mortality rates than women, and older adults aged 85 and over were particularly vulnerable.

Recovery since 2022 has been uneven, with persistent disparities across regions, age groups, and genders. The World Health Statistics report indicates that progress toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals has stalled and is vulnerable to systemic shocks. Key areas like universal health coverage, maternal and child health, and the reduction of non-communicable diseases have seen progress decelerate.

Despite long-term declines in infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, global malaria incidence has risen. Preventable risk factors, such as rising anaemia prevalence in women and childhood overweight, continue to impede health improvements. Financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health spending affects a quarter of the global population, pushing millions into poverty.

Global mortality rates have improved since 2000 but at a slower pace, particularly for maternal and under-5 mortality. Non-communicable diseases remain leading causes of death, with progress in reducing premature mortality slowing since 2015. No WHO region is on track to meet the 2030 SDG health targets, with some regions even worsening. Environmental risks like air pollution also contribute significantly to preventable deaths.