New Delhi: In 2024, more than 14 million children around the world did not receive even a single dose of any vaccine, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF on Tuesday. The latest national immunization coverage report highlights serious gaps in vaccine access and uptake, raising alarm over stalled or reversing progress in global child health.
The report revealed that nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine. Over 30 million children were also under-protected against measles, increasing the risk of outbreaks. In fact, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks nearly doubled from 33 in 2022 to 60 in 2024.
The missed vaccinations were attributed to a combination of limited access to health services, disrupted vaccine supply chains, conflict, political instability, and persistent misinformation about vaccine safety.
“Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He noted that the gaps in coverage were driven by “drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines.”
Despite these setbacks, the report did show some progress. In 2024, global childhood vaccination coverage remained steady. Approximately 171,000 more children received at least one vaccine compared to 2023, and an additional one million children completed the full three-dose DTP series.
Overall, 89% of infants around 115 million received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine, while 85% about 109 million completed all three doses. Measles vaccination coverage also saw a slight increase, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% receiving the second. However, this remains below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
“The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
She urged governments to act with urgency: “We need increased determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent.”
The report also warned that falling funding, ongoing conflicts, and the spread of vaccine misinformation could continue to threaten global immunisation efforts, potentially leading to higher rates of severe illness and death from preventable diseases.
(With the inputs from IANS)