Leaders urge action as child deaths projected to increase

At Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi, leaders from government, philanthropy, business, and civil society issued a unified call to accelerate progress on child survival, preventable maternal deaths and infectious disease eradication.

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The appeal was anchored by $1.9 billion in commitments to advance polio eradication, announced earlier in the day at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, in a pledging moment convened by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity.

The Foundation contributed $140 million in new funding, reflecting its commitment to ending preventable diseases and advancing a healthier and more resilient world.

Co-hosted by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity and the Gates Foundation, Goalkeepers Abu Dhabi brought together more than 500 global leaders and changemakers.

Together, the leaders delivered a clear message: the world must act now to reverse rising child deaths, stop preventable maternal deaths and finish the job of ending preventable diseases, starting with polio.

New data from the Gates Foundation's 2025 Goalkeepers Report showed that the number of children dying before age 5 is projected to rise for the first time in a century.