Levels and Trends in Child Mortality

A new UN report titled Levels and Trends in Child Mortality highlights global progress and challenges in reducing child deaths. The report, released by the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, estimates that 4.9 million children died before age five in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns.

Globally, under-five mortality has declined by more than half since 2000, but progress has slowed significantly—by over 60%—since 2015.

India is among the countries showing steady improvement due to sustained public health efforts. According to the Union Health Ministry:

• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) declined from 57 (1990) to 17 (2024) per 1,000 live births.
• Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) dropped from 127 (1990) to 27 (2024) per 1,000 live births.

India has played a significant role in reducing child mortality in the South Asia region over the past two decades.

Source: TH