In 2000, over 10 million children died annually, but today that number has been reduced to under five million.
Global Health Boom
Between 2000 and 2020, the world saw a “global health boom.” Child mortality dropped by 50%. In 2000, more than 10 million children died each year. By 2020, that number fell to under five million. The most dangerous infectious diseases also declined by half. Notably, regions with the highest disease burden, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, made significant progress.
Several factors fueled this health boom. A new wave of political leaders championed humanitarianism. Thousands of health workers spread across the globe, delivering modern medicine to previously underserved areas. However, one often overlooked factor was a small but essential rise in global health funding.
In 2000, wealthy nations began increasing their contributions to help low-income countries. These funds supported organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. As a result, poorer countries gained access to life-saving vaccines and treatments.
Despite its small size, this aid had a significant impact. By 2020, wealthy countries allocated less than 0.25% of their budgets to aid. On average, they spent just $10.47 per person in the poorest nations. Yet, this modest sum brought about remarkable change, saving millions of lives and improving global health outcomes.
The world’s worst child health crisis is malnutrition. Climate change is making it even harder to solve. We must invest in global health to protect the world’s children from hunger’s worst effects. – Bill Gates, Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
This unique and targeted approach played a key role in reducing child mortality and fighting deadly diseases. Global cooperation and focused funding proved that even small investments can have a massive impact on health in vulnerable regions.
The world today faces more challenges than ever, including inflation, rising debt, and new wars. Unfortunately, foreign aid is not keeping up with the growing needs, especially in the regions that need it most.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the hardest-hit areas. More than half of all child deaths still occur there. Since 2010, the percentage of the world’s poor living in this region has risen by over 20 percentage points. Yet, despite this increase in poverty, aid to Africa has decreased. The share of global foreign aid directed to the continent has dropped from almost 40% to just 25%—the lowest in 20 years.
This decline in resources has serious consequences. With fewer funds, more children are at risk of dying from preventable diseases. Without increased support, the progress made in reducing child mortality could reverse. Boosting aid to Africa is essential to save lives and prevent further setbacks.
