New figures from the United Nations have estimated that the world hit a record-low for deaths in babies and children under-5 in 2022 - with Malawi among countries highlighted for their progress.

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The United Nations has released new figures indicating a decline in the number of deaths among babies and children under the age of 5 worldwide, achieving a record-low in 2022. The data underscores the advances made in global health, pointing towards significant progress in reducing child mortality rates. Malawi is specifically mentioned as one of the countries making notable strides in this area, highlighting the effectiveness of its health initiatives aimed at the younger population.

However, despite the encouraging news of reduced child deaths, there's an implication that the pace of progress may be decelerating. This suggests that while strides have been made, there remain challenges to sustaining and enhancing the gains achieved in child health globally. The specifics of these challenges are not detailed, but the mention of a slowing momentum hints at potential obstacles in further reducing under-5 mortality rates.



Child deaths falling, but progress slowing: U.N.

The number of children dying before their fifth birthday has hit a record low, according to new United Nations estimates. And Malawi is among countries highlighted in a UN report, released on Wednesday, for making significant reductions in child deaths. It, alongside Cambodia, Rwanda and Mongolia, have all been credited with a more than 75% drop in under-five mortality since 2000. In the Malawian town of Nemetete earlier this year, parents like Secret Gibson were queuing up to get their children vaccinated against malaria, under a new programme being rolled out in countries across the continent. When a child receives the vaccine like this, it means as he grows he will be a healthy and strong person, but also, as he attains maturity, it's like you have already laid a good foundation for him, because if you don't take him for the vaccine, the clinic has reservations to treat a child who did not take the job. Preventable and treatable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria made up the majority of the 4.9 million under-five deaths in 2022. While that's a halving of the mortality rate since 2000, it also still represents one death every six seconds. And the UN warned that the world is behind in its goals for reducing preventable deaths by 2030, with progress slowing since 2015. Overall deaths of babies and children under five in 2022 were concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. It represented 57% of the global total, despite only accounting for around 30% of the live births that year. The UN said better access to primary healthcare and community health workers could vastly improve the outlook. But it also warned that climate change, increasing inequity, conflict and the long-term fallout from the global health crisis could all threaten progress.

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