COVID Pandemic Reversed Progress Of Last 10 Years In Global Life Expectancy: WHO

Geneva: The recent deadly COVID-19 pandemic reversed the last 10 years’ steady gain seen in life expectancy at birth and healthy life expectancy at birth (HALE) worldwide, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Friday (May 24). The report, World Health Statistics 2024, showed that between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy declined by 1.8 years to 71.4 years (back to the level of 2012). Similarly, within just two years global healthy life expectancy dipped by 1.5 years to 61.9 years in 2021 (back to the level of 2012).

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Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said,

In just two years, the Covid-19 pandemic erased a decade of gains in life expectancy.

Stressing the importance of the Pandemic Agreement, he said it will “not only strengthen global health security, but protect long-term investments in health and promote equity within and between countries”.

In 2020, Covid infection ranked as the third highest cause of mortality globally, while it emerged as the second leading cause of death in 2021. The report said,

Nearly 13 million lives were lost during this period.

Further, the report showed that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as ischaemic heart disease and stroke, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and diabetes accounted for 78 per cent of non-Covid deaths during the pandemic.

The pandemic also increased obesity in young and old (over one billion), underweight (more than half a billion) and malnutrition in children.

The report said,

About 148 million children under five years old were affected by stunting (too short for age), 45 million suffering from wasting (too thin for height), and 37 million overweight.

The report called for “accelerating progress” to meet the health Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Also Read: Climate Change May Reduce Average Life Expectancy By Half A Year: Study

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.