Between Global life expectancy fell by 1.8 between 2019 and 2021 years to 71.4 years, returning to 2012 levels, and life expectancy at general health decreased by 1.5 years to 61.9 years in 2021 (return to 2012 levels).

This is reflected in the latest release of “World Health Statisticspublished this Friday by World Health Organization (WHO), which showed that the Covid-19 pandemic has reversed the trend of continued increases in life expectancy at birth and healthy life expectancy at birth (HALE). “The pandemic has destroyed almost a decade of progress in increasing life expectancy in just two years,” laments the UN health agency.

The 2024 report also highlights inequalities on this issue around the world. WHO regions for America and Southeast Asia suffered the most.However, life expectancy will decrease by approximately three years and healthy life expectancy by 2.5 years between 2019 and 2021.

On the contrary, the region The Western Pacific suffered minimal damage. during the first two years of the pandemic, with a loss of less than 0.1 year of life expectancy and 0.2 year of healthy life expectancy.

“Great progress continues in global healthwhile billions of people have better health, better access to services and better protection from health emergencies,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusDirector General of WHO.

However, the world is far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health. “Despite encouraging progress in some countries and in some conditions overall, life expectancy has fallen and, surprisingly, The world is not on track to achieve at least one of the 32 SDGs. health-related initiatives that have global purpose,” said Dr Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director-General for Data, Analysis and Impact.

Non-communicable diseases remain the leading cause of death

COVID-19 quickly became one of main causes of deathpositioning itself as third cause of death in the world in 2020 and the second in 2021. Almost 13 million people died during this period.

Recent estimates show that, with the exception of the African and Western Pacific regions, Covid-19 is among the top five leading causes of deathbecoming the leading cause of death in America in both years.

The WHO report also highlights that non-communicable disease (NCDs) such as coronary heart disease and stroke, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, and diabetes. leading causes of death before the pandemicwhich accounted for 74 percent of all deaths in 2019. Even during the pandemic, NCDs remained responsible for 78 percent of non-Covid-19 deaths.

Increase in obesity and malnutrition

In 2022 more than a billion people over five years old they lived with obesitywhile more than 500 million were underweight. childhood malnutrition It’s also astounding: 148 million children under five suffer from stunting. 45 million suffer from malnutrition – too thin for their height – and 37 million overweight.

The report also highlights important health problems faced by people with disabilities, refugees And migrants. In 2021, about 1.3 billion people, that is 16 percent of the world’s population had some degree of disability. This group is “disproportionately” affected by health inequalities resulting from “inevitable, unfair and unequal conditions,” according to the report.

Access to Health care for refugees and migrants remains limitedas only half of the 84 countries surveyed between 2018 and 2021 provide these groups with publicly funded health services at a level comparable to that of their citizens.

This emphasizes “urgent“needed for health systems are adapting and address persistent inequalities and the changing demographic needs of the world’s population.

Compliance with sustainable development goals

Despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic, the world has made some progress to achieve the Triple Trillion targets and the health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since 2018 others 1.5 billion people have improved their health and well-being. Despite the advances, progress is hampered by rising obesity, high tobacco consumption and persistent air pollution.