Context
The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation has unveiled a report titled “Levels and Trends in Child Mortality,” revealing significant strides in reducing global under-five deaths. According to the report, the annual number of under-five deaths worldwide in 2022 dropped by over half from the 2000 estimate, plummeting from 9.9 million to 4.9 million. This marked improvement underscores substantial progress in child health initiatives and underscores ongoing efforts to achieve global development goals.
Relevance:
GS II: International Relations
Dimensions of the Article:
- Key Highlights of the Report
- Strategies to Curb Child Mortality
Key Highlights of the Report:
- Milestone Achievement: The annual number of deaths among children under the age of five dropped to 4.9 million in 2022, marking a significant milestone in global efforts to reduce child mortality.
- Decline in Mortality Rate: There has been a decline of more than half in the global under-five mortality rate (U5MR) since 2000, showcasing sustained progress in reducing child deaths worldwide.
- Consistent Decline: The decline in under-five mortality has been consistent over the years, driven by the committed efforts of governments, organizations, healthcare professionals, communities, and families.
- Persisting Challenges: Despite progress, the annual death toll among children, adolescents, and youth remains unacceptably high. In 2022, 2.3 million under-five deaths occurred during the first month of life, with an additional 2.6 million deaths between ages 1 and 59 months. Additionally, 2.1 million children, adolescents, and youth aged 5–24 also died that year.
- Regional Disparities: Children face unequal chances of survival based on factors such as geographical location, socio-economic status, and living in fragile or conflict-affected settings, highlighting persistent inequities among vulnerable populations.
- Neonatal Deaths: Neonatal deaths accounted for a significant portion of under-five deaths, increasing from 41% in 2000 to 47% in 2022, indicating the need for focused interventions during the neonatal period.
- Regional Challenges: Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to bear the majority of under-five deaths by 2030, with significant regional disparities in child mortality rates.
- SDG Targets: Many countries are unlikely to meet the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets on time. However, strategic investments in maternal, newborn, and child health can yield significant reductions in child mortality rates.
Recommendations:
- Learnings from Success: Low- and lower-middle-income countries that have outperformed the global decline in under-five mortality demonstrate the impact of investments in maternal, newborn, and child health. Sustained action in resource-constrained settings can lead to significant reductions in child mortality rates.
Strategies to Curb Child Mortality:
- Comprehensive Family Planning Services:
- Providing access to family planning services can help prevent unintended pregnancies, reducing the risk of preterm births and stillbirths.
- Enhanced Antenatal Care:
- Offering regular health and nutrition check-ups for pregnant women can contribute to healthier pregnancies and decrease the likelihood of preterm births and stillbirths.
- Iron Folic Acid Supplementation:
- Ensuring access to iron folic acid supplementation for pregnant mothers can improve maternal and fetal health outcomes.
- Screening and Management of Risk Factors:
- Implementing effective screening programs to identify and manage risk factors associated with preterm births and stillbirths, such as hypertension, diabetes, and infections during pregnancy, can mitigate adverse outcomes.
- Improved Data Collection Systems:
- Enhancing data collection systems to accurately record and report preterm births and stillbirths is crucial for understanding the scope of the problem and implementing targeted interventions effectively.
- Standardized Classification Systems:
- Adopting standardized classification systems, like the International Classification of Diseases, for reporting perinatal mortality can improve data quality and comparability across regions.
- Effective Surveillance and Reporting:
- Ensuring the effective implementation of maternal and perinatal deaths surveillance guidelines can aid in identifying trends, risk factors, and opportunities for intervention. Timely reporting and analysis of maternal and perinatal deaths can inform policy and practice decisions.
-Source: Down To Earth
