Humanitarian aid cuts could lead to more child deaths, warns UN

United Nations: The United Nations has warned that cuts in international aid could end decades of progress in reducing child mortality, or even reverse the trend. The warning comes in an annual report published by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank on Monday.

The report highlights that the worst consequences of aid reductions will be felt in regions with the highest infant mortality rates, such as sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.

"Simply put, if support for life-saving services is not sustained, many countries can expect a resurgence of newborn and child deaths," the report stated.

Fouzia Shafique, UNICEF's Associate Director of Health, expressed deep concern over the situation.

"The global health community cannot be worried enough at the situation that we are seeing," she said.

Declining child mortality rates

The report found that child mortality rates continued to decline in 2023, with 4.8 million deaths of children under the age of five recorded, including 2.3 million newborns under a month old. This marks a 52 percent decrease since 2000.

However, Shafique emphasised that "4.8 million is 4.8 million too many."

The risk of reversal

Since 2015, progress in reducing child mortality has slowed as global aid funds were redirected to fight Covid-19. This shift in priorities could set a dangerous precedent, experts warn.

"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," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

"We cannot allow that to happen," she added.

Consequences already felt

The impact of reduced aid is already visible, with shortages of healthcare workers, clinic closures, disrupted vaccination programmes, and a lack of essential medical supplies, such as malaria treatments.

Ethiopia, for example, is experiencing a significant rise in malaria cases, but it faces a critical shortage of diagnostic tests, insecticide-treated bed nets, and funding for mosquito-spraying campaigns, according to Shafique.

Stillbirths remain high

A separate report by the same organisations found that stillbirths remain alarmingly high, with around 1.9 million deaths recorded in 2023.

"Every day, more than 5,000 women around the world endure the heartbreaking experience of stillbirth," the report stated.

Many of these deaths could be prevented with proper medical care during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as efforts to reduce premature births.

The report also emphasised that many child deaths could be prevented by addressing common diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea.

"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 WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

AFP