In 2019, there will be 86 lakh fatalities among children and adolescents, prompting scientists to advocate for more comprehensive care.

 Despite recent advances, the world is on the verge of failing to reach the child and adolescent health targets, with more than 86 lakh children and adolescents (aged 0-20 years) dying in 2019.

According to a new series on optimizing child and adolescent health and development published in The Lancet, the globe is on the verge of failing to reach the child and adolescent health targets, with more than 86 lakh deaths among children and adolescents (aged 0-20 years) documented in 2019. Over half of the deaths were due to stillbirths (23%) and neonatal deaths (28%) combined, while another third (32%) occurred in children aged one month to five years (see chart).

"We can gain a better knowledge of child and adolescent health by looking at mortality and nutrition from the third trimester of pregnancy through age 20." In a statement, research author Professor Robert Black of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore said, "Our analysis clearly demonstrates that the first two years of life are crucial markers of future health, but that age range is only one piece of the puzzle."

The Lancet series' authors have urged world leaders and policymakers to replace current approaches to child and adolescent health, which are often fragmented by age groups or specific health conditions, with comprehensive care that spans nutrition, preventive health, education, economics, and community support for all age groups from conception to age 20.