The Gates Foundation reported on Thursday that nearly 200,000 additional children are likely to die before reaching the age of five this year compared to 2024, due to declining international aid that threatens decades of progress.
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The foundation noted that this projected increase would mark the first rise in preventable child deaths this century, potentially raising the total from an estimated 4.6 million deaths in 2024 to 4.8 million this year. Child mortality has roughly halved since 2000.
Bill Gates, head of the foundation, stated in the annual report Goalkeepers: “For decades, the world has made steady progress in saving children’s lives. But now, amid rising challenges, that progress is beginning to reverse.”
Aid Cuts Not Limited to Washington
The report tracks progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty reduction and health improvement. Typically released in September, this year’s report was delayed due to uncertainties around global health funding.
Cuts to international aid began in the United States earlier this year and have since extended to other major donors, including the United Kingdom and Germany. Overall, the report indicates that global development aid for health has declined by just under 27% this year compared to 2024.
The foundation said these reductions are a major factor undermining progress in reducing child mortality. Other contributing factors include rising debt and fragile health systems in some countries.
If these aid cuts continue, child deaths could rise to between 12 and 16 million by 2045, depending on funding levels, according to the report, which is based on models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
Gates urged governments and individuals to intensify efforts, focusing on innovative, evidence-based solutions such as vaccination and investment in primary healthcare to improve child health.
– Reuters
