Ethiopia ranks near the bottom globally for child survival, with an under‑five mortality rate placing it 135th out of 147 countries in the latest UN Inter‑agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) report, underscoring persistent gaps despite decades of health investments.
Sub‑Saharan Africa bears 58 per cent of worldwide under‑five deaths at 2.83 million in 2024, with a regional rate of 71.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, 19 times higher than Australia/New Zealand. Ethiopia’s rate reflects this burden, lagging far behind global averages amid conflict, fragility and stalled SDG progress.
Nearly half of all under‑five deaths now happen neonatally (first 28 days), up from 41 per cent in 2000, with prematurity (17 per cent), pneumonia (13 per cent) and birth asphyxia/trauma (10 per cent) topping causes globally – patterns mirroring Ethiopia’s challenges. In sub‑Saharan Africa, infectious killers like malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea claim one in three post‑neonatal lives, compounded by malnutrition.
Progress has slowed sharply since 2015: the region’s under‑five annual reduction rate fell from 3.8 to 2.0 per cent, neonatal from 1.9 to 1.0 per cent. Ethiopia, classified as fragile/conflict‑affected, sees rates nearly triple the non‑fragile average (74.1 vs. 25 per 1,000).
Rural poverty, low maternal education and short birth intervals double risks, with boys slightly more vulnerable biologically. Off SDG track, Ethiopia must at least double its decline pace for 2030 targets – or risk 27.3 million global under‑five deaths by then, 62 per cent in sub‑Saharan Africa.
UN IGME urges Ethiopia to prioritize newborn care, immunization, nutrition and primary services in fragile zones to avert millions more deaths – achievable if high‑burden nations match high‑income averages (5.1/1,000).
