The COVID-19 pandemic has harmed global health indicators, as reported by recent World Health Statistics. The pandemic, which has affected every country in the world, has halted the previous upward trend in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy at birth (HALE) that had been observed for nearly ten years. In this document, you will find the main conclusions of the report, challenges related to noncommunicable diseases, the alarming increase in malnutrition, and progress made towards global health objectives.
The Americas and Southeast Asia have experienced the most severe consequences, with reductions of approximately three years in life expectancy and 2.5 years in HALE. On the other hand, the Western Pacific Region has been minimally affected, with decreases of less than 0.1 and 0.2 years in life expectancy and HALE, respectively.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, highlighted the vulnerability of global health progress, stating, "In just two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out a decade of advancements in life expectancy. This underscores the crucial importance of the new Pandemic Agreement in strengthening global health security and safeguarding long-term health investments." The threat of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) Noncommunicable diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. Prior to the pandemic, diseases such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, cancers, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
According to the WHO report, except in the African and Western Pacific regions, COVID-19 was among the top five causes of death. In the Americas, it even became the leading cause of death for both years. Despite the pandemic, NCDs continued to account for 78% of non-COVID deaths, underscoring the need for sustained efforts to combat these chronic conditions. The double burden of malnutrition The world is facing a complex challenge of malnutrition, characterized by the coexistence of undernutrition and obesity. In 2022, over one billion people aged five years and older were living with obesity, while more than half a billion were underweight.