Child health, inclusive education and development

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2022-07, Vol.100 (7), p.459-461
• Main Authors: Olusanya, Bolajoko O, Boo, Nem Yun, de Camargo, Olaf Kraus, Hadders-Algra, Mijna, Wertlieb, Donald, Davis, Adrian C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beneficiaries; Child development; Child mortality; Children; Children & youth; Children with disabilities; Childrens health; Classrooms; Disability; Early childhood education; Education policy; Fatalities; Health aspects; Health care policy; Health education; Health policy; High income; Inclusive education; Industrialized nations; Infant mortality; Infants; Intervention; Low income groups; Medical policy; Medical screening; Mortality; Mortality rates; Nations; Neonates; Patient outcomes; People with disabilities; Quality of education; Reduction; Schools; Society; Sustainable development; Tracking
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.2471/BLT.22.288103

Since 2000, targeted reduction in mortality of children younger than 5 years has been the cornerstone of global child health policy. This policy was expanded with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to include targeted reduction in neonatal mortality, which accounted for 41% (4 million/9.8 million) of child deaths in 2000.1,2 The United Nations (UN) Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, led by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is entrusted with tracking progress on the neonatal and under-five mortality targets until 2030.2 According to the latest report of the inter-agency group published in 2021, neonatal mortality rate declined by 11% (from 19 to 17 deaths per 1000 livebirths) and under-five mortality rate declined by 14% (from 43 to 37 deaths per 1000 livebirths) in 2020 – 5 years after the launch of the SDGs. Many countries are on track to achieving the targets of 12 neonatal deaths and 25 child deaths per 1000 livebirths by 2030.