By Bunmi Yekini
Geneva, May 15, 2025 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over a significant drop in global life expectancy and stagnating progress in health outcomes, largely driven by the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and compounded by underinvestment in primary health care.
According to the World Health Statistics 2025 report released Friday, global life expectancy fell by 1.8 years between 2019 and 2021—the sharpest decline in recent history—erasing a decade’s worth of health gains. The drop is attributed to both direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19, including increased deaths and worsening mental health.
“In just two years, we lost ten years of progress,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “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. These are avoidable tragedies.”
The report highlights a six-week reduction in global healthy life expectancy due to rising cases of anxiety and depression linked to the pandemic—undermining gains made in reducing noncommunicable disease (NCD) mortality during the same period.
Stalling Progress on Key Health Goals
The WHO report also assesses progress towards its Triple Billion targets: ensuring 1 billion more people benefit from universal health coverage, 1 billion more are protected from health emergencies, and 1 billion more enjoy better health and well-being.
While the target for healthier lives has been surpassed—with 1.4 billion more people living healthier by 2024—progress on the other two fronts has fallen short. Only 431 million people gained access to essential health services without financial hardship, and about 637 million more were better protected from emergencies.
“This report shows that the world is failing its health checkup,” said Dr. Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact. “But countries have shown that rapid progress is possible. With speed, scale, and smart investments, every country can deliver measurable gains.”
Maternal and Child Health in Jeopardy
WHO warns that maternal and child mortality rates are not declining fast enough to meet global targets, with progress plateauing after two decades of notable improvements.
Between 2000 and 2023, maternal deaths dropped by over 40%, and deaths of children under five more than halved. However, the momentum is waning, threatened by weak health systems, immunization gaps, and workforce shortages.
“Health progress is slowing,” said Dr. Tedros. “Every government has a responsibility to act, with urgency, commitment, and accountability to the people they serve.”
Without urgent corrective action, the world could miss the opportunity to prevent an estimated 700,000 maternal deaths and 8 million under-five deaths by 2030, WHO cautions.
Chronic Diseases and Health Worker Shortages Pose Ongoing Threats
NCDs—such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer—continue to drive premature deaths globally. The world remains off track to meet the 2030 goal of reducing NCD-related deaths by one-third.
While tobacco use and alcohol consumption have declined slightly, air pollution and mental health issues remain persistent barriers. A projected shortfall of 11.1 million health workers by 2030—mostly in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean—could further undermine recovery.
“Strong health systems rely on strong health information,” said Dr. Haidong Wang, WHO’s Unit Head for Health Data and Analytics. “We are supporting countries to strengthen health data systems through the SCORE strategy and the World Health Data Hub.”
Uneven Recovery from Infectious Diseases
Progress in tackling infectious diseases has been inconsistent. HIV and TB rates are decreasing, but malaria is on the rise again, and antimicrobial resistance continues to loom as a global threat. Vaccination rates for children have not fully bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.
The report also underscores the destabilizing impact of disrupted international aid, urging for predictable financing from both domestic and global sources to protect past achievements and respond to emerging health challenges.
“This is a wake-up call,” Dr. Tedros said. “Health is not just a cost—it’s an investment. The future depends on what we do now.”