While we’ve added nearly a decade to the average human lifespan this century, the fragile state of global health is a story of staggering triumphs overshadowed by profound and persistent inequalities.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, global life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years, a 5.4-year increase from 67.9 years in 2000, driven by reductions in child mortality and communicable diseases
- The global under-5 mortality rate dropped from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 38 per 1,000 in 2019, averting 22 million deaths among children under 5
- In 2021, COVID-19 caused 5.4 million excess deaths globally, reversing two decades of progress in life expectancy gains
- In 2022, HIV caused 630,000 deaths globally, down 69% from peak in 2004
- Tuberculosis killed 1.3 million people in 2022, including 161,000 with HIV, with 10.6 million new cases
- Malaria caused 608,000 deaths in 2022, 76% children under 5, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa
- Global cardiovascular disease deaths reached 19.8 million in 2022, 32% of all global deaths
- Diabetes caused 1.6 million direct deaths in 2021, plus 480,000 from kidney disease linked to diabetes
- In 2022, 2.7 billion adults were overweight or obese, projected to rise to 4 billion by 2035
- Global maternal mortality ratio was 223 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020
- 287,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes in 2020, 70% in sub-Saharan Africa
- Only 65% of women receive at least 4 antenatal care visits globally in 2022
- Global UHC service coverage index reached 68 in 2021, up from 45 in 2000
- 4.5 billion people lack full access to essential health services
- Health worker density is 65 per 10,000 globally, but <20 in 78 countries
Global health progress was significant but uneven and threatened by pandemics like COVID-19.
Health Systems and Access
1Global UHC service coverage index reached 68 in 2021, up from 45 in 2000
Verified24.5 billion people lack full access to essential health services
Verified3Health worker density is 65 per 10,000 globally, but <20 in 78 countries
Verified4Out-of-pocket health spending averages 18% of current health expenditure globally
Directional52 billion people lack access to safe medicines, risking antimicrobial resistance
Single source6Global health spending reached 9.8% of GDP in 2021, but unevenly distributed
Verified790% of countries report disruptions to essential health services during COVID-19
Verified8Only 42% of health facilities in low-income countries have basic emergency care
Verified9Digital health interventions cover 52% of countries' essential services in 2022
Directional10Global shortage of 10 million health workers projected by 2030, mostly in Africa
Single source11800 million people pushed into extreme poverty yearly by health spending
Verified12Surgical volume is 4,139 operations per 100,000 yearly globally, but <1,000 in poorest countries
Verified1350% of people in low-income countries have less than 1 year of secondary education among health workers
Verified14Telemedicine consultations increased 38-fold during pandemic in some regions
Directional15Global financing for primary health care is USD 146 per capita, insufficient
Single source1647% of countries have national health insurance schemes covering >50% population
Verified17Laboratory services available in 55% of peripheral health facilities in low-income countries
Verified181.8 billion people use unsafe sanitation, impacting health access
Verified19Electronic health records implemented in 58% of countries partially
Directional20Community health workers number 3.4 million globally, bridging gaps
Single source21Health system resilience score averaged 0.58/1 in 2021 across 195 countries
Verified2275% of low-income countries spend <5% GDP on health
Verified23Vaccine supply chain issues left 20% facilities without power for cold chain in Africa
Verified24Mental health services gap: 71% in low-income countries lack treatment access
Directional25Global cataract surgical backlog: 65 million un-operated cases
Single sourceHealth Systems and Access Interpretation
We've cobbled together a patchwork of progress where, despite some gleaming stitches of improvement, the fabric of global health remains dangerously threadbare and stretched thin over immense, unconscionable holes.
Infectious Diseases
1In 2022, HIV caused 630,000 deaths globally, down 69% from peak in 2004
Verified2Tuberculosis killed 1.3 million people in 2022, including 161,000 with HIV, with 10.6 million new cases
Verified3Malaria caused 608,000 deaths in 2022, 76% children under 5, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa
Verified4In 2022, 1.3 million new hepatitis B infections occurred globally, leading to 1.1 million deaths from viral hepatitis
Directional5Hepatitis C caused 290,000 deaths in 2019, with 58 million living with chronic infection
Single source6Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1 billion people, causing 142,100 deaths in 2021
Verified7In 2023, mpox reported 145 deaths across 23 countries, mostly in Africa with clade Ib
Verified8Global cholera cases reached 533,000 in 2022, with 4,492 deaths, a 77% increase from prior years
Verified9Measles killed 136,000 people in 2022, mostly children under 5, due to declining vaccination
Directional10In 2022, 14.6 million people were newly infected with syphilis, with 661,000 adverse birth outcomes
Single source11Polio cases dropped to 12 wild poliovirus type 1 cases in 2023 from thousands pre-vaccination
Verified12Dengue affected 6.5 million people in the Americas in 2023, with 967 deaths
Verified13Leishmaniasis caused 26,000 to 65,000 deaths annually, with 700,000-1 million new cases
Verified14Rabies kills 59,000 people yearly, 40% children under 15, 99% via dog bites
Directional15Global influenza causes 290,000-650,000 respiratory deaths annually
Single source16In 2022, 8.8 million TB cases went undiagnosed, contributing to ongoing transmission
Verified17HIV prevalence among adults 15-49 was 0.7% in 2023, with 39.9 million living with HIV
Verified18Malaria parasite prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa under-5s was 11.3% in 2022
Verified19257 million people needed treatment for NTDs in 2022
Directional20Global gonorrhoea incidence was 82.4 million new cases among 15-49 year-olds in 2020
Single source21Chlamydia caused 128.5 million new infections in 2020 globally
Verified2237.4 million new trichomoniasis cases in 2020 among adults 15-49
Verified23Yellow fever reported 216,000 cases and 38,430 deaths in Africa in 2022
Verified24Nipah virus has case fatality rate of 40-75%, with sporadic outbreaks killing dozens
DirectionalInfectious Diseases Interpretation
These global health statistics reveal a landscape of both remarkable victories—like the dramatic drop in HIV deaths—and stubborn, often preventable, tragedies, where the pathogens winning are the ones we've chosen to neglect.
Maternal and Child Health
1Global maternal mortality ratio was 223 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020
Verified2287,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes in 2020, 70% in sub-Saharan Africa
Verified3Only 65% of women receive at least 4 antenatal care visits globally in 2022
Verified429 million women gave birth without skilled attendant in 2020, risking complications
Directional5Neonatal deaths total 2.3 million yearly, 47% of under-5 deaths
Single source6Globally, 93% of children receive first DTP vaccine dose, but only 84% third dose in 2022
Verified745% of under-5 deaths occur in first month of life, mostly preventable
Verified8Adolescent birth rate in least developed countries was 99 per 1,000 girls 15-19 in 2023
Verified92.4 billion women of reproductive age lack access to modern contraception
Directional10Preterm birth complications cause 1 million neonatal deaths yearly, 75% in South Asia/Africa
Single source11Globally, 38% of newborns receive immediate skin-to-skin contact post-birth in 2022
Verified1280% of maternal deaths preventable with quality care, yet 800 women die daily
Verified13Under-5 stunting affects 148.1 million children in 2022, 35.5 million wasted
Verified14Breastfeeding within first hour saves 7% of under-5 deaths, but only 48% newborns breastfed timely
Directional15Globally, 14 million adolescents give birth yearly, highest rates in sub-Saharan Africa
Single source16Haemorrhage causes 27% of maternal deaths, sepsis 11%, hypertension 14% globally
Verified171 in 71 newborns die in first week in high-mortality countries vs 1 in 1000 low-mortality
Verified18Contraceptive prevalence among married women 15-49 is 65% globally, but 23% unmet need
Verified194.3 million newborns need treatment for small/vulnerable newborns yearly
Directional20Child marriage leads to 12 million girl brides yearly, increasing maternal risks
Single source21Globally, 2.3 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, affecting child health
Verified22Pneumonia kills 672,000 under-5s yearly, vaccine-preventable
Verified23Diarrhoea causes 444,000 under-5 deaths yearly, mostly from unsafe water
VerifiedMaternal and Child Health Interpretation
Despite impressive global progress in some areas, the persistent and preventable deaths of mothers and newborns reveal a sobering truth: we have built a satellite to map every inch of the earth, yet we cannot reliably get a midwife, a clean cloth, or a dose of antibiotics to the women and children who need them most.
Mortality and Life Expectancy
1In 2019, global life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years, a 5.4-year increase from 67.9 years in 2000, driven by reductions in child mortality and communicable diseases
Verified2The global under-5 mortality rate dropped from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 38 per 1,000 in 2019, averting 22 million deaths among children under 5
Verified3In 2021, COVID-19 caused 5.4 million excess deaths globally, reversing two decades of progress in life expectancy gains
Verified4Global healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth was 63.7 years in 2019, meaning people live 9.6 years in poor health on average
Directional5Between 2000 and 2019, the global maternal mortality ratio declined by 38%, from 339 to 211 deaths per 100,000 live births
Single source6In low-income countries, life expectancy at birth averaged 64.7 years in 2019, compared to 80.7 years in high-income countries
Verified7Global adult mortality rate for ages 30-70 from NCDs fell by 15% between 2010 and 2021, from 22.6% to 19.2%
Verified8In 2020, an estimated 1.8 billion adults worldwide were overweight, contributing to 4.7 million premature deaths annually
Verified9The probability of dying between ages 30 and 70 from the four main NCDs was 19% globally in 2019 for males and 13% for females
Directional10Global neonatal mortality rate decreased from 30 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 17 in 2020
Single source11In 2019, 54 countries had life expectancy below the global average of 73.3 years, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa
Verified12Excess mortality from COVID-19 was highest in the Americas at 7.5%, compared to global average of 4.7% in 2021
Verified13Global stillbirth rate stood at 13.9 per 1,000 total births in 2021, unchanged from 2000 levels in many regions
Verified14In 2022, 4.0 million babies died in the first month of life, with 75% in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
Directional15Global age-standardized mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases was 181.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source16Between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy dropped by 1.8 years due to COVID-19
Verified17In 2019, 15 million girls aged 15-19 became mothers in developing regions, contributing to higher mortality risks
Verified18Global road traffic death rate was 15.6 per 100,000 population in 2021, killing 1.19 million people annually
Verified19Suicide accounted for 1.18% of all deaths globally in 2019, with rates highest in low- and middle-income countries
Directional20In 2020, 8.2 million deaths were attributed to air pollution globally
Single source21Global infant mortality rate fell to 27.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 from 55.3 in 2000
Verified22In high-income countries, HALE reached 71.3 years in 2019, versus 57.8 in low-income countries
Verified23Global mortality rate from tuberculosis was 11.5 per 100,000 population in 2022, down 9% from 2021
Verified24In 2019, cancer caused 10 million deaths worldwide, 18% of all deaths
Directional25Global dementia prevalence led to 1.17 million deaths in 2019, up 40% since 1990
Single source26Drowning caused 236,000 deaths globally in 2019, highest among children under 5 at 37 per 100,000
Verified27In 2021, 2.8 million deaths were due to alcohol use, 5% of all global deaths
Verified28Global homicide rate was 6.1 per 100,000 in 2021, with 458,000 deaths
Verified29Fire, heat, and hot substances caused 117,000 deaths in 2017, mostly in low-income settings
Directional30Global poisoning death rate was 1.6 per 100,000 in 2019, higher in males at 2.2
Single sourceMortality and Life Expectancy Interpretation
We're winning the marathon of life with a notable two-decade sprint, yet COVID-19 tripped us near the finish line, revealing that while we've added years for many, the quality and equity of those years remain a staggering challenge.
Non-Communicable Diseases
1Global cardiovascular disease deaths reached 19.8 million in 2022, 32% of all global deaths
Verified2Diabetes caused 1.6 million direct deaths in 2021, plus 480,000 from kidney disease linked to diabetes
Verified3In 2022, 2.7 billion adults were overweight or obese, projected to rise to 4 billion by 2035
Verified4Global cancer incidence hit 20 million new cases in 2022, with 9.7 million deaths
Directional5Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) killed 3.23 million in 2019, 80% in low/middle-income countries
Single source6422 million adults have diabetes, mostly type 2, causing 47% of deaths in 15-49 age group
Verified7Hypertension affects 1.28 billion adults 30-79, with 2/3 in low/middle-income countries
Verified8Tobacco kills over 8 million people yearly, including 1.3 million non-smokers from exposure
Verified938 million children under 5 were overweight or obese in 2022, risking NCDs later
Directional10Global prevalence of raised blood glucose among adults 18+ was 14% in 2014
Single source11Alzheimer's and other dementias caused 1.8 million deaths in 2019, up 144% since 2000
Verified12Asthma affected 262 million people in 2019, causing 455,000 deaths
Verified13Chronic kidney disease prevalence is 9.1%, with 3.13 million deaths in 2021
Verified141 in 5 deaths from NCDs are premature, under age 70, totaling 15 million yearly
Directional15Global obesity prevalence tripled since 1975, 16% of adults obese in 2022
Single source16Liver cancer deaths reached 830,000 in 2020, 75% linked to hepatitis or alcohol
Verified17Rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3% globally, contributing to disability
Verified18Parkinson's disease prevalence 0.5-1% over age 60, 2.5 million deaths indirectly
Verified19Osteoarthritis affects 7.6% of population, leading to 367,000 deaths in 2020
Directional20Global stroke deaths 6.55 million in 2019, 11.9% of total deaths
Single source21Oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people, 95% in low/middle-income countries
Verified22Sickle cell disease affects 300,000 births yearly, high mortality in Africa
VerifiedNon-Communicable Diseases Interpretation
These chilling statistics reveal we're not so much living longer as we're slowly dying from preventable lifestyle choices, with our modern world having engineered a perfect storm of chronic disease that is now our leading cause of death.
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