Childhood mortality set to increase for the first time this millennium

For the first time since the year 2000, global fatalities among children under the age of five are expected to increase, primarily due to reduced international aid. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimates that 4.8 million young children will die this year, up from 4.6 million in the previous year.

The sharp decline in humanitarian funding has been a key factor in the long-term reduction of child deaths by 50% since the turn of the millennium. However, this year has seen a 25% drop in aid commitments. The United States has scaled back programs targeting diseases like HIV and malaria, and other nations, including Germany and the United Kingdom, have also cut financial support.

In addition, increasing public skepticism toward vaccines has contributed to lower immunization coverage, resulting in more frequent outbreaks of potentially fatal childhood illnesses.

A chart illustrates the projected rise in under-five mortality from all causes for 20242025.

Author: Ava Mitchell