Disminuye número de niños menores de cinco años en 2023: ONU
The number of children who die in the world before reaching the age of five decreased to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths decreased modestly, remaining around 1.9 million, according to two new reports published by the United Nations interagency group to estimate infant mortality.
Since 2000, infant mortality has been reduced by more than half and stillbirths by more than a third, due to investments in child survival. In 2022, the world reached a historic milestone with just under 5 million child deaths for the first time. However, progress has slowed down, and too many children are still lost to preventable causes.
«Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to clean water and basic sanitation. Reducing preventable child deaths,» said Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF.
«From fighting malaria to preventing intrauterine fetal death and ensuring care for the youngest babies, we can make a difference for millions,» said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), who believes in protecting and safeguarding children’s health.
The reports show that decades of progress in child survival are now at risk because major donors have announced or indicated significant reductions in funding for future assistance. The reduction in global funding for vital child survival programs leads to a shortage of health personnel, clinic closures, disruptions in vaccination programs, and a lack of essential supplies such as malaria treatments.
«These reductions seriously affect regions with humanitarian crises, indebted countries, and areas with already high mortality rates. Global funding cuts could also undermine monitoring and surveillance initiatives, making it difficult for the most vulnerable children to access,» warned the interagency group.
Even before the current funding crisis, the rate of progress in child survival had already slowed down. Since 2015, the annual rate of reducing mortality in children under five has decreased by 42%, and stillbirths by 53%, compared to the period 2000-2015.
Nearly half of child deaths under the age of five occur in the first month of life, mainly due to premature births and birth complications. Beyond the neonatal period, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea, are the leading causes of preventable child death.
Meanwhile, 45% of stillbirths occur during birth, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed births, and lack of timely care. «Better access to maternal, neonatal, and child care at all levels of the health system will save many more lives,» it reports.
This includes preventive and promotional care in communities, appropriate visits to health centers and healthcare professionals, high-quality prenatal and postnatal care, healthy child care such as systematic vaccination and comprehensive nutrition programs, diagnosis and treatment of childhood illnesses.
«Most preventable child deaths occur in countries with limited resources, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are generally inaccessible,» said Juan Pablo Uuribe, global health lead at the World Bank and director of the Global Financing Mechanism.
«Investing in child health ensures survival, education, and future contributions to the workforce. With strategic investments and strong political will, we can continue to reduce infant mortality, promote economic growth, and create employment opportunities that benefit everyone,» he says.
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