Global Health Inequities Shorten Lives by Decades, Warns WHO
A groundbreaking WHO report reveals that social inequities—such as poor housing, education, and job opportunities—are slashing healthy life expectancy by decades worldwide, WHO website reported.
The 2025 World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity highlights that marginalized groups, including Indigenous Peoples, face life expectancies up to 33 years shorter than privileged populations, regardless of national income levels.
Despite global progress, maternal and child mortality rates remain starkly unequal. Children in low-income countries are 13 times more likely to die before age 5 than those in wealthy nations, while 94% of maternal deaths occur in poorer regions. Climate change and economic inequality exacerbate these gaps, with 68–135 million people projected to fall into extreme poverty by 2030.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged governments to prioritize universal social protections, anti-discrimination policies, and climate resilience. “Health inequities are not inevitable,” he stated, calling for cross-sector action to address root causes.
