An estimated 14 million children worldwide received no vaccines at all in 2024, mirroring figures from the previous year, according to a joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
The agencies’ annual global vaccine coverage report, released Tuesday, highlights that just 89% of infants received their first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP) vaccine last year, with 85% completing the full three-dose schedule — only a slight improvement from 2023.
UN officials say ongoing conflicts, humanitarian crises, and a steep drop in global aid — particularly following the U.S. decision to withdraw support from WHO and Gavi — are undermining immunization progress.
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Nine countries accounted for over half of the zero-dose children: Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola.
WHO also reported a concerning rise in measles, with outbreaks in 60 countries and over 125,000 cases in Europe alone.
“Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with vaccine misinformation, threaten to reverse decades of progress,” warned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Experts stress that 95% measles vaccine coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks — far above current global rates.
Source: Agency