The United Nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have warned that recent global funding cuts, including reductions in USAID support, threaten the decades of progress attained so far in reducing the number of under -five children deaths and stillbirths worldwide. This was disclosed in a joint press release statement by the United Nations and the WHO.
The United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) in its recent report, indicated that the number of children dying globally before their fifth birthday declined to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths declined modestly, still remaining around 1.9 million
The report revealed that in 2022, the world reached a historic milestone when child deaths dropped slightly below 5 million for the first time. However, progress has slowed and too many children are still being lost to preventable causes.
Stressing the implications of the funding cut, the Joint press statement stated,” “Decades of progress in child survival are now at risk as major donors have announced or indicated significant funding cuts to aid ahead. Reduced global funding for life-saving child survival programmes is causing health-care worker shortages, clinic closures, vaccination programme disruptions, and a lack of essential supplies, such as malaria treatments.
“These cuts are severely impacting regions in humanitarian crises, debt-stricken countries, and areas with already high child mortality rates. Global funding cuts could also undermine monitoring and tracking efforts, making it harder to reach the most vulnerable children.”
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell emphasized the importance of funding in the remarkable achievement of reducing child death till now. She said, “Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,”
“Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen.”
Reiterating the statement, Bank Global Director for Health and Director of the Global Financing Facility, Juan Pablo Uribe stressed that continued investment in child survival programs is crucial to sustaining progress and preventing millions of preventable deaths.
He said; “Most preventable child deaths occur in low-income countries, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are often inaccessible”,
“Investing in children’s health ensures their survival, education, and future contributions to the workforce. With strategic investments and strong political will, we can continue to reduce child mortality, unlocking economic growth and employment opportunities that benefit the entire world.”
According to the inter-agency report, almost half of under-five deaths happen within the first month of life, mostly due to premature birth and complications during labour. Beyond the newborn period, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea, are the leading causes of preventable child death. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of late stillbirths occur during labour, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed labour, and lack of timely medical intervention.
It also reports that the geographic location of a child’s birth significantly influenced their chances of survival. It stated that the risk of death before age five is 80 times higher in the highest-mortality country than the lowest-mortality country, for example, while a child born in sub-Saharan Africa is on average 18 times more likely to die before turning five than one born in Australia and New Zealand. Within countries, the poorest children, those living in rural areas, and those with less-educated mothers face the higher risks.
Shedding light on another related challenge, UN DESA Under-Secretary-General, Li Junhua noted, “Disparities in child mortality across and within nations remain one of the greatest challenges of our time – with nearly 80% occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, where women are six to eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than women in Europe or North America”.
“Reducing such differences is not just a moral imperative but also a fundamental step towards sustainable development and global equity. Every child deserves a fair chance at life, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind.”
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged for collaboration stating, “In the face of global funding cuts, there is a need more than ever to step up collaboration to protect and improve children’s health.”
“From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,”
The agencies urged immediate action to safeguard child survival efforts stating; “Increased investments, service integration, and innovations are urgently needed to scale up access to proven life-saving health, nutrition, and social protection services for children and pregnant mothers.”
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