The 67% drop in global death rates since 1950 continued in 2026: WHO's World Health Statistics report found HIV infections down 40% since 2010, under-five deaths halved since 2000, and maternal mortality down 40%. Life expectancy sits at 73 globally, but still runs 21 years shorter in sub-Saharan Africa than in high-income regions.
The biggest near-term threat is antimicrobial resistance, projected to kill 39 million people directly between 2025 and 2050. In early 2026, the WHO Executive Board failed to adopt an updated Global Action Plan on AMR after member states split over technology transfer language. Algeria and Australia both eliminated trachoma in April 2026, bringing the country count to 30, and WHO cleared the first malaria treatment designed specifically for newborns.
Why it matters
If antimicrobial resistance goes unchecked, the drugs that halved child mortality since 2000 stop working.
20 events
Latest: April 29th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
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April 2026
Australia Eliminates Trachoma—First High-Income Nation to Do So
LatestMilestone
WHO validates Australia as the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem and the first high-income nation to reach this status. The result follows targeted screening, treatment, and housing and sanitation improvements concentrated in Indigenous communities.
WHO Clears First Malaria Treatment Designed for Newborns
Medical Advance
WHO prequalifies Coartem Baby (artemether-lumefantrine), the first antimalarial developed for infants weighing 2–5 kilograms. The approval enables public-sector procurement and closes a care gap for roughly 30 million babies born annually in malaria-endemic regions of Africa.
Algeria Eliminates Trachoma
Milestone
WHO validates Algeria as the 29th country globally (and 10th in the African region) to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, after decades implementing the SAFE strategy: surgery, antibiotic treatment, facial cleanliness, and improved sanitation.
February 2026
AMR Global Action Plan Stalls at WHO Executive Board Over IP Dispute
Policy
The WHO Executive Board could not adopt the updated Global Action Plan on AMR after Brazil, Indonesia, and Colombia objected to language limiting technology transfers to 'voluntary and mutually agreed' terms. The plan was deferred to the 79th World Health Assembly in May 2026.
January 2026
WHO Director-General Addresses 2026 Health Challenges
Policy
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus outlines global health priorities for 2026 in media briefing, emphasizing need to accelerate progress toward SDG targets.
Trachoma Population Requiring Intervention Falls Below 100 Million
Milestone
WHO announces global population requiring interventions against trachoma dropped below 100 million for first time—a 94% decrease since 2002. 58 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, with WHO targeting 100 countries by 2030.
GBD 2023: Chronic Respiratory Disease Study Published
Research
New Global Burden of Disease study in Nature Medicine analyzes chronic respiratory disease burden 1990-2023, revealing mortality declines especially during COVID-19 pandemic.
December 2025
Global Death Rate Continues Falling Amid Health Advances
Milestone
Crude death rate at 7.67 per 1,000. Multiple countries achieve disease elimination milestones: Maldives eliminates mother-to-child HIV/syphilis/hepatitis B; Niger eliminates river blindness; Georgia, Suriname, Timor-Leste certified malaria-free.
GBD 2023: Lower Respiratory Infections Study Published
Research
Lancet Infectious Diseases publishes comprehensive GBD analysis showing LRIs caused 2.5M deaths in 2023. Child mortality from LRIs fell 33% since 2010, but LRIs remain world's leading infectious cause of death. Study attributes burden to 26 pathogens across 204 countries.
October 2025
GBD 2023 Study Published in The Lancet
Research
Global Burden of Disease study confirms 67% mortality decline since 1950. Life expectancy returned to pre-pandemic levels at 73.4 years globally.
May 2025
WHO Reports 1.4 Billion Living Healthier Lives
Report
World Health Statistics 2025 finds reduced tobacco use, cleaner air, and improved sanitation have expanded healthy living to 1.4 billion more people.
September 2024
Landmark AMR Study Forecasts 39 Million Deaths by 2050
Research
The Lancet publishes Global Burden of Disease AMR study projecting 39.1 million deaths directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance 2025-2050. Deaths in adults 70+ from AMR increased 80% between 1990-2021. Study warns AMR could cause 1.91M annual deaths by 2050 unless interventions improve.
January 2023
COVID-19 Drops from Top Cause of Death
Data
After ranking as the leading cause of death in 2021, COVID-19 falls to 20th place. Ischemic heart disease and stroke return to top positions.
January 2020
Under-5 Deaths Fall to 5.5 Million
Milestone
Child mortality rate drops to 36 per 1,000—a 59% reduction from 1990, saving approximately 7 million children annually.
January 2015
SDGs Replace MDGs with New Targets
Policy
Sustainable Development Goals set 2030 targets. Child mortality already cut by 53% from 1990 levels.
January 2000
MDGs Set Global Health Targets
Policy
Millennium Development Goals establish targets for reducing child mortality, maternal mortality, and infectious disease deaths by 2015.
January 1990
Child Mortality Baseline: 12.6 Million Annual Deaths
Data
Under-5 mortality rate stands at 93 deaths per 1,000 live births. Millennium Development Goals will target halving this rate.
May 1980
Smallpox Declared Eradicated
Milestone
33rd World Health Assembly certifies smallpox eradication—the first and only infectious disease eliminated by human effort. The disease killed 300 million in the 20th century alone.
January 1966
WHO Launches Smallpox Eradication Programme
Campaign
International team formed under Donald Henderson to eliminate smallpox through mass vaccination.
January 1950
Global Baseline: Life Expectancy at 47 Years
Milestone
Global crude death rate approximately 20 per 1,000 population. Infectious diseases remain leading causes of death worldwide.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
1966-1980
Smallpox Eradication (1966-1980)
WHO coordinated a global vaccination campaign targeting smallpox, a disease that killed 300 million people in the 20th century alone. Thousands of health workers administered half a billion vaccinations across every continent. The last natural case occurred in Somalia in 1977.
Then
WHO declared smallpox eradicated in May 1980, making it the first—and still only—infectious disease eliminated by human effort.
Now
The $300 million program saves over $1 billion annually in avoided vaccination and treatment costs. The campaign established models for disease surveillance, ring vaccination, and global health cooperation that informed subsequent efforts against polio, measles, and COVID-19.
Why this matters now
Smallpox eradication proved coordinated global health campaigns can eliminate diseases entirely. The 2025 disease elimination milestones—Niger eliminating river blindness, Maldives achieving triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission—follow the template established in 1980.
2 of 3
1918-1920
1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic
The H1N1 influenza virus infected an estimated 500 million people—one-third of the global population—killing 17-50 million worldwide. The U.S. lost 675,000 people, more than all its 20th-century wars combined. Unlike typical flu, this strain killed young adults at unusually high rates.
Then
The pandemic ended by 1920 as populations developed immunity. No vaccines or antivirals existed; antibiotics couldn't treat secondary bacterial infections that caused most deaths.
Now
The 1918 virus's descendants continue circulating as seasonal flu. The pandemic demonstrated how quickly infectious disease could spread without modern medicine—and why declining mortality rates since then represent a genuine transformation in human capability.
Why this matters now
The 1918 pandemic occurred when global life expectancy was roughly 30-35 years. Today's 73-year life expectancy and 7.67 deaths per 1,000 rate reflect the development of vaccines, antibiotics, and public health infrastructure that didn't exist a century ago.
3 of 3
1990-2020
Child Mortality Decline (1990-2020)
In 1990, 12.6 million children died before age 5 annually—93 deaths per 1,000 live births. The Millennium Development Goals set targets to halve this rate. Countries expanded vaccination, nutrition programs, oral rehydration therapy, and clean water access.
Then
By 2020, under-5 deaths fell to 5.5 million annually—36 per 1,000 births, a 59% reduction. East Asia achieved a 68% decline.
Now
Seven million fewer children die each year than in 1990. However, progress has slowed since 2015, and huge disparities remain: Nigeria's child mortality is 30 times higher than Italy's.
Why this matters now
Child mortality reduction exemplifies how targeted public health investment compounds over decades. The 2025 GBD study shows this progress continuing, but also identifies concerning trends in adolescent and young adult mortality that weren't previously measured.
