Pandemic fallout cuts global life expectancy by nearly two years, claims WHO Report
New Delhi/Geneva: The COVID-19 pandemic has left lasting scars on global health, with life expectancy suffering its sharpest decline in recent memory, according to the World Health Statistics 2025 report released by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report reveals that between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy dropped by 1.8 years, erasing a decade’s worth of gains. The global average life expectancy at birth is currently around 71.33 years.
The findings, drawn from WHO’s comprehensive annual health assessment, also show that healthy life expectancy—the number of years a person can expect to live in good health—fell by six weeks during the same period. WHO attributed this decrease largely to a surge in mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression associated with the pandemic.
“Behind every data point is a person—a child who didn’t reach their fifth birthday, a mother lost in childbirth, a life cut short by a preventable disease,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “These are avoidable tragedies. They point to critical gaps in access, protection, and investment—especially for women and girls.”
While the pandemic dealt a severe blow, the report underscores that the slowing momentum in global health progress began before COVID-19. WHO’s analysis of its Triple Billion targets—an initiative aimed at improving health for billions by 2025—reflects mixed outcomes. By the end of 2024, approximately 1.4 billion more people were living healthier lives, surpassing the goal of one billion. This success stemmed from reductions in tobacco use, improved air quality, and greater access to clean water and sanitation.
However, gains in access to essential health services and emergency protection were less pronounced. Only 431 million more people obtained health services without financial burden, while 637 million were better protected from health emergencies—figures that fall short of the intended benchmarks.
Maternal and child health indicators are also raising alarms. Despite significant progress from 2000 to 2023—with maternal deaths falling over 40% and under-five child deaths cut by more than half—the pace has stalled. WHO warns that unless corrective action is taken, an additional 700,000 maternal deaths and 8 million under-five deaths could occur between 2024 and 2030.
Shortages in skilled health workers, underfunded primary care, and disruptions in services like immunization continue to impede recovery. As of now, a projected shortfall of 11.1 million health workers looms by 2030, with nearly 70 per cent of the deficit concentrated in the WHO African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are on the rise. These now represent the leading cause of death among those under 70 worldwide. Although some countries have seen success through targeted interventions, such as reductions in tobacco and alcohol use, the world remains off track to meet the 2030 target of reducing NCD mortality by one-third.
Other trends offer a mixed outlook. HIV and tuberculosis incidence are declining, and fewer individuals require treatment for neglected tropical diseases. Yet challenges persist: malaria cases are resurging, childhood vaccination rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and antimicrobial resistance remains a major threat.
“Strong health systems rely on strong health information,” said Dr Haidong Wang, WHO Unit Head for Health Data and Analytics. “Timely, trusted data drives better decisions and faster results.”
The report also warns that disruptions in international aid could reverse fragile progress, especially in countries with the greatest health needs.
“This report shows that the world is failing its health checkup,” said Dr Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director-General. “But countries have shown that rapid progress is possible. With speed, scale, and smart investments, every country can deliver measurable gains.”with agency inputs
