Global Childhood Vaccination Steady in 2024, But 14 Million Infants Still Miss Out – WHO and UNICEF Warn of Growing Risks Amid Conflict, Misinformation. 

GENEVA:

Global childhood vaccination rates remained steady in 2024, with 89% of infants receiving at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine and 85% completing the full three-dose series, according to new data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. Despite these gains, the agencies warned that over 14 million infants still went entirely unvaccinated, raising concerns about equity, disease outbreaks, and the future of global health security.

The latest national immunization coverage estimates show modest progress compared to 2023, with an additional 171,000 children receiving their first vaccine and 1 million more completing the three-dose DTP series. However, nearly 20 million children globally missed at least one DTP dose, and 14.3 million remained “zero-dose” – children who never received a single routine vaccine.

This figure is 4 million higher than the global target required to stay on track with the Immunization Agenda 2030 and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring immunization progress.

“Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s encouraging to see progress, but misinformation and funding cuts risk reversing decades of achievement. We must act with urgency to protect every child.”

Unequal Access and Global Disparities Persist

While 131 countries have maintained DTP first-dose coverage above 90% since 2019, very few have improved beyond this threshold. In fact, in 47 countries, progress has either stalled or declined — including 22 nations that had surpassed the 90% target in 2019 but have since backtracked.

Children in fragile and conflict-affected regions are disproportionately impacted. Although just 26 countries fall into this category, they are home to a quarter of the world’s infants and account for half of all unvaccinated children globally. Alarmingly, in these countries, the number of unvaccinated children has surged from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024.

Signs of Progress in Lower-Income Nations

Immunization coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has improved. Around 600,000 fewer children were un- or under-vaccinated in 2024 compared to the previous year. Gavi-supported nations are introducing more vaccines and reaching more children than ever before.

“In 2024, lower-income countries protected more children than ever before, with coverage rising across all Gavi-supported vaccines,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi. “But fragility and population growth remain major barriers. Continued global support is critical.”

However, troubling trends are emerging in middle- and high-income countries, where immunization coverage, long held at or above 90%, is beginning to slip. Even small declines in these countries can fuel outbreaks and strain health systems.

HPV and Measles Coverage Sees Modest Gains

Efforts to broaden protection against vaccine-preventable diseases yielded some positive results in 2024:

• HPV vaccine coverage climbed to 31% among eligible adolescent girls, up from 17% in 2019. The growth is attributed to national scale-ups and renewed vaccination efforts using simplified, single-dose schedules.
• Measles vaccine coverage also improved slightly, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% the second. This resulted in 2 million more children being protected in 2024.

Still, the world remains far from the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks. As a result, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks nearly doubled to 60 in 2024, up from 33 in 2022.

The Road Ahead: Urgent Call to Action

Despite increased community demand for vaccines and expanded disease protection, WHO and UNICEF warn that global progress is at risk. Budget cuts, vaccine misinformation, and global instability threaten to derail hard-earned gains.

“Millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “We must act with urgency to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile systems, and misinformation. No child should die from a disease we can prevent.”

WHO and UNICEF are urging governments and global partners to:

• Close funding gaps for Gavi’s 2026–2030 cycle to ensure immunization for children in low-income countries;
• Prioritize immunization in conflict zones and fragile settings;
• Invest in domestic health systems and locally-led strategies;
• Combat vaccine misinformation with evidence-based communication;
• Strengthen disease surveillance and data systems to target high-impact interventions.

A Decisive Moment for Global Health

As the world works to recover from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and faces rising instability, 2025 marks a critical year. Sustained investment, collaboration, and public trust in vaccines will be essential to closing the immunization gap and safeguarding future generations.

“The promise of protecting every child is slipping from reach,” WHO and UNICEF concluded. “But with bold action now, we can still fulfill that promise and save millions of lives.”