WHO: Global life expectancy approached pre-pandemic levels

WHO published a report titled "Global Health Estimates", which includes trends in life expectancy, causes of death and disease burden.

The report said, "The global health environment continues to improve and people are living longer. Following the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, average global life expectancy has returned to a level close to pre-pandemic levels. Global average life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023. This figure is close to 73.4 years recorded in 2019. Healthy life expectancy, on the other hand, showed a slower recovery, reaching 62.8 years in 2023, 0.4 years below the 2019 level." remained." expressions were used.

The report pointed out that non-communicable diseases have an increasing share of deaths, and that conditions such as diabetes, dementia, mental health problems and substance use disorders contribute to an increasing and changing disease burden.

"While 74 percent of global deaths in 2023 will be caused by non-communicable diseases, this rate was 58 percent in 2000," the report said. Information was shared and it was reminded that almost 8 of the 10 leading causes of death in the world in 2023 will be caused by non-communicable diseases.

The report noted that this change is becoming increasingly evident at all income levels, and stated that for the first time in 2023, infectious diseases will account for less than half of all deaths in low-income countries, indicating another step in the global epidemiological transition.

Alain Labrique, Director of the WHO Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, whose views are included in the report, said: "Living longer is one of the greatest achievements of public health. The next challenge is to ensure that these additional years are spent in good health and to ensure that health systems are equipped to respond to the changing needs of the population." he said.