Although the annual report from UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank does not single out the United States, it comes as President Donald Trump's administration has axed the vast majority of the programs carried out by USAID, America's main overseas aid agency with a former annual budget of $42.8 billion.
The report warns the consequences of aid money cuts will be the worst in countries where infant mortality rates are already the highest, such as in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.
In 2023, mortality of children under age five continued to drop, with 4.8 million deaths recorded, including 2.3 million newborn babies under a month old, according to the report.
But Shafique insisted that “4.8 million is 4.8 million too many.”
“Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains,“ UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said in a statement.
1.9 million stillborn babies
Ethiopia, for instance, is enduring a big increase in malaria cases, said Shafique.
A separate report by the same organizations found a stubbornly high number of stillbirths -- babies who die after 28 weeks of pregnancy, before or during childbirth -- with a total of around 1.9 million such deaths in 2023.
With proper care during pregnancy and childbirth, many of these deaths could be averted, as could the premature births of fragile babies.
“From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,“ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
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