Vaccine Coverage Decline Among Children
LONDON — Last year, over 14 million children did not receive any vaccinations, roughly the same as the previous year, according to health officials from the U.N. Nine countries were responsible for more than half of these unvaccinated children.
The World Health Organization and UNICEF released their annual global vaccine coverage estimates this Tuesday, indicating that about 89% of children under one year received the initial dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine in 2024, maintaining the same level as in 2023. Additionally, around 85% completed the full three-dose series, which is a slight increase from 84% in the prior year.
However, officials expressed concern that a significant reduction in international aid this year is likely to hinder efforts to decrease the number of unvaccinated children. The U.S. government, under President Trump, withdrew from the WHO in January, froze most humanitarian aid, and moved to shut down the U.S. AID Agency. More recently, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the withdrawal of billions previously pledged to the vaccine alliance Gavi, claiming that the organization had disregarded scientific evidence.
Kennedy, known for his skepticism regarding vaccines, has previously questioned the safety of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine, despite extensive studies and real-world effectiveness supporting its use. Vaccines, as estimated by the U.N., prevent between 3.5 million and 5 million deaths annually.
“Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about vaccine safety, threaten to reverse decades of progress,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
U.N. experts highlighted the continued inequality in access to vaccines, noting that conflicts and humanitarian crises can rapidly undo gains made in public health; Sudan, for instance, had the lowest reported vaccine coverage for diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. The report revealed that nine countries, including Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola, accounted for 52% of all children who missed vaccinations altogether.
WHO and UNICEF noted a slight rise in measles vaccine coverage, with 76% of children worldwide receiving both doses. Experts maintain that to prevent outbreaks, measles vaccination rates need to hit 95%. The WHO reported that around 60 countries saw significant measles outbreaks last year.
The U.S. is now experiencing its worst measles outbreak in over thirty years, with similar trends emerging across Europe, where cases reached 125,000 in 2024 — double that of the year before, as per WHO data.
Recently, British health officials reported a child’s death from measles at a Liverpool hospital. Despite long-standing efforts to enhance awareness, only about 84% of children in the U.K. are vaccinated.
“It’s incredibly concerning, though perhaps not surprising, to see ongoing measles outbreaks,” stated Helen Bradford, a children’s health professor at University College London. “The only way to halt the spread of measles is through vaccination,” she added. “It’s never too late to get vaccinated, even for adults.”
