Dear Neil,
Thank you for raising this important question.
Yes, it still holds true that more than 50% of under-five deaths could be prevented with simple, affordable interventions.
According to the 2024 UN IGME report, an estimated 4.8 million children under five died in 2023, including 2.3 million newborns. The leading causes of these deaths—many of which have remained unchanged over the past three decades—are overwhelmingly preventable.
Main causes of under-five deaths:
1.
Neonatal conditions (within the first 28 days of life): Prematurity, birth complications (e.g., birth asphyxia, trauma) and neonatal infections (e.g., sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis). These can be addressed through skilled birth attendance, basic neonatal care, and simple antibiotics.
2.
Post-neonatal causes (1–59 months): Pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles, malnutrition (often an underlying factor that increases vulnerability to other diseases). These conditions have well-known, effective interventions for both prevention and treatment.
Proven affordable interventions include:
Vaccines (e.g., against measles, pneumonia, rotavirus)
Oral rehydration salts (ORS) for diarrhoea
Antibiotics for pneumonia and sepsis
Insecticide-treated bed nets for malaria
Exclusive breastfeeding and adequate nutrition
Access to clean water and sanitation
The main challenge remains health system gaps and inequities in access to care, particularly in underserved, fragile, or conflict-affected settings.
Therefore, the bottom line is that the science, tools, and strategies to prevent these deaths are well known. What’s missing is equitable access, political will, and sustained investment.
I hope this helps clarify why the statement still holds true.
Best regards
Wilson
Dr Wilson Milton WERE
Medical Officer, Lead Child Health Services
World Health Organization
Newborn and Child Health & Development Unit (NBC)
Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health & Ageing
Geneva, Switzerland