Despite incredible progress - halving deaths of children under the age of five since 2000 - the unacceptable reality remains that almost five million children are still dying each year from causes that we can prevent. Preventable infectious diseases like pneumonia, malaria, diarrhea, and meningitis remain global leading causes of death among children under five. Almost six in 10 (58%) of deaths in children under five years old occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite accounting for only 28% of the global under five population. Alarmingly, the rate of progress in reducing these deaths has slowed since 2015, especially in the countries with the heaviest burden of under-five mortality.
With global crises now threatening to reverse years of progress by causing severe disruptions to lifesaving health and nutrition services for children, greater political will and urgent action are needed to save lives and ensure that all countries are on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Building on the momentum of the 2020 and 2023 Global Fora on Childhood Pneumonia, Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival brings together political leaders, partners, and public health experts. The forum will share best practices and present innovations with the power to accelerate progress towards ending preventable deaths of children under five.
Access to immunization has saved 154 million lives over the course of 50 years, and with new vaccines and innovations at our disposal we have the capacity to go further and faster.
Child survival progress has also been driven by the tireless dedication of frontline health workers and community-based services. Greater efforts to strengthen health systems and primary health care (PHC) will keep saving children’s lives.
Amid unprecedented challenges and with only five years remaining on the SDG clock, an approach that integrates the delivery of scalable, proven and high-impact interventions that prevent, detect, and treat the major childhood illnesses and malnutrition will power the next wave of child survival gains.
At a critical juncture for child survival, strong national leadership and firm commitments for children to survive, thrive, and realize their fundamental rights are critical. This forum offers a platform for new commitments to deliver the most life-saving interventions and innovations to children, and mobilization around a clear roadmap for action with accountability to end preventable child deaths.
MONDAY, JULY 21
TUESDAY, JULY 22
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23
THURSDAY, JULY 24
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