WHO reveals top 10 causes of death globally

The World Health Organization has released updated figures showing that heart disease and stroke remain the two leading causes of death worldwide.

WHO’s latest Global Health Estimates cover mortality trends through 2023 and show that the world’s 10 leading causes of death accounted for about 33 million deaths, representing 54 per cent of the 61 million deaths recorded globally that year.

Ischaemic heart disease remained the world’s biggest killer.

The condition, which occurs when the heart receives insufficient blood and oxygen because of narrowed or blocked arteries, was responsible for about 9.5 million deaths in 2023, representing roughly 16 per cent of deaths worldwide.

Stroke ranked second with approximately 6.8 million deaths, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, ranked third with about 3.6 million deaths.

WHO’s top 10 causes of death globally

1. Ischaemic heart disease — about 9.5 million deaths

2. Stroke — about 6.8 million

3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — about 3.6 million

4. Lower respiratory infections — about 2.7 million

5. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias — about 2.1 million

6. Diabetes — about 2 million

7. Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers — about 1.8 million

8. Hypertensive heart disease

9. Kidney diseases

10. Diarrhoeal diseases

Eight of the 10 leading causes were noncommunicable diseases.

Together, those eight conditions accounted for about 47 per cent of all deaths worldwide and 88 per cent of deaths attributed to the global top 10.

WHO also highlighted the growing burden of dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias rose to fifth place globally in 2023, with about 2.1 million deaths. WHO said women accounted for about 66 per cent of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Diabetes has also become increasingly significant, with deaths more than doubling since 2000.

Kidney diseases rose from the 17th leading cause of death globally in 2000 to ninth place in 2023, while deaths from trachea, bronchus and lung cancers increased from about 1.1 million in 2000 to 1.8 million in 2023.

COVID-19 drops out of global top 10

COVID-19 dropped out of the world’s 10 leading causes of death for the first time since the pandemic began.

WHO estimated that deaths directly attributed to COVID-19 fell to about 900,000 in 2023, placing the disease 14th globally.

The organisation stressed that understanding mortality trends helps governments identify health priorities and determine where resources and preventive interventions are most needed.