3rd October 2026 – (Geneva) Global life expectancy has nearly returned to its pre‑Covid‑19 level, reaching 73.3 years in 2023 compared with 73.4 years in 2019, according to the World Health Organization’s latest Global Health Estimates. The pandemic had driven the indicator down to 71.5 years in 2021, but the rebound since then has been steady. Healthy life expectancy is recovering more slowly at 62.8 years in 2023, still 0.4 years below 2019.
Dr Alain Labrique, who leads WHO’s Department of Data, Digital Health Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, said the next challenge is ensuring added years are lived in good health while systems adapt to changing needs—a point reflected in the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
Of the 61 million deaths worldwide in 2023, the 10 leading causes accounted for about 33 million. Non‑communicable diseases made up eight of the top 10 and now represent roughly 74 per cent of all deaths. Ischaemic heart disease remained the world’s biggest killer, followed by stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, while lower respiratory infections were the deadliest communicable disease. Covid‑19 dropped out of the 10 leading causes for the first time since the pandemic began.
