African Nations Pledge Bold Action to End Preventable Child Deaths by 2030 at Child Survival Forum 

Government representatives from across Africa, alongside global partners, have made bold and historic commitments to end preventable deaths of children under five by 2030, during the Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival Forum 2025 held in Maputo, Mozambique.

The three-day forum, co-hosted by the Governments of Mozambique and Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Government of Spain, the “la Caixa” Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and UNICEF, drew senior health officials, development partners, donors, civil society, and private sector stakeholders. Together, they focused on accelerating progress on child survival amidst mounting challenges, including climate change, conflict, shrinking health budgets, and disease outbreaks.

Currently, nearly five million children globally die before their fifth birthday every year, with Africa accounting for close to 60% of these deaths, most from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and meningitis. Despite vaccines and proven interventions having saved over 154 million lives in the past 50 years, inequitable access continues to hinder child survival in the region.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, President of Mozambique H.E. Daniel Chapo said: “The Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes that all children have the right to survive and grow up healthy. Mozambique has made notable progress, reducing child mortality from 201 to 60 per 1,000 live births between 1997 and 2022. These gains reflect decades of investment in maternal and child health, one of the pillars of our Government’s Five-Year Plan 2025–2029.”

Hon. Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health of Sierra Leone, called the forum a defining moment for the continent: “We have the tools, science, and vaccines—we now need political will, timely care, and sustained investment to translate these into lives saved.”

Participants emphasized that child survival is not just a health issue but a driver of broader social and economic development. A joint Call to Action was launched alongside 13 national commitments, urging regional leadership and stronger accountability.

Key highlights from the Call to Action include:

• Strengthening regional leadership via African Union, Africa CDC, and regional health organizations;
• Establishing robust accountability frameworks at national, regional, and global levels;
• Addressing inequities by targeting the most vulnerable children, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Mobilizing sustainable financing, including for fragile and conflict-affected states;
• Investing in resilient primary health care (PHC) systems and maternal-child health infrastructure;
• Accelerating vaccine coverage with >90% coverage of key vaccines and reaching zero-dose children;
• Integrating child survival services across maternal and newborn care platforms;
• Enhancing disease surveillance and innovation, using data from initiatives like the CHAMPS Network.

Dr. Ussene Isse, Mozambique’s Minister of Health, stressed that prioritizing high-impact interventions alongside sustainable financing could transform both communities and economies: “We must build efficiency within health systems and ensure access to care is not a privilege but a right for every child.”

Theo Sowa, Chairperson of the Forum, closed the session with a call for collective accountability:

“Governments, partners, and civil society must hold each other accountable to ensure no child dies from preventable infectious diseases.”

The Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival Forum 2025 highlighted the urgency of scaling up political commitment, financing, and innovations to reach every child, no matter how remote or vulnerable, with life-saving care.