Adapted from BMJ 8 June 2024
The United Nations has stated that there has been a fall in global mortality for children under the age of 5 between 2000 and 2022 from 76 deaths in every thousand live births to 37 in every thousand live births. This is a drop of 51%, a result that they consider remarkable.
Still, 4.9 million in total under the age of 5 died in 2022. The UN aim to get these deaths below 25 for every thousand children born alive. 134/200 countries are already at this target but sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia are still struggling. The causes of death are mainly pneumonia, gut and other infections, malaria, prematurity, birth asphyxia and trauma.
Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Uzbekistan have managed to achieve a 75% reduction in mortality since 2000. They instituted widespread interventions to improve sanitation, clean water and hygiene and improved primary healthcare systems.
Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia have child mortality risks over 100 per thousand live births. They don’t have the widespread healthcare, food supply and political stability necessary.
High quality antenatal care, nutrition, skilled health care, immunisation, management of childhood illnesses and efficient referral systems for severe illness are necessary.
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