More than 14 million children worldwide did not receive a single vaccine last year, a figure that remains stubbornly consistent with the previous year, according to a stark warning from UN health officials. Nine countries alone account for over half of these unprotected children.
In their annual global vaccine coverage estimate, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF revealed that approximately 89 per cent of children under one year old received a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTP) vaccine in 2024, mirroring 2023 levels. While 85 per cent completed the three-dose series, a slight increase from 84 per cent in 2023, officials cautioned that a collapse in international aid this year threatens to reverse progress.
This setback follows a series of significant policy shifts by the United States. In January, US President Trump withdrew the country from the WHO, froze nearly all humanitarian aid, and later moved to close the US AID Agency. Last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the US was pulling billions of dollars previously pledged to Gavi, the vaccines alliance, claiming the group had "ignored the science." Mr Kennedy, a longtime vaccine sceptic, has previously questioned the DTP vaccine, despite its proven safety and effectiveness through years of study and real-world use.
"Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. UN experts highlighted that vaccine access remains "deeply unequal," with conflict and humanitarian crises quickly unravelling progress. Sudan reported the lowest DTP coverage. The nine countries accounting for 52 per cent of all unvaccinated children are Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola.
While global measles vaccine coverage saw a slight rise, with 76 per cent of children receiving both doses, experts stress that 95 per cent coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease. The WHO noted that 60 countries reported major measles outbreaks last year. The US is currently experiencing its worst measles outbreak in over three decades, while Europe has seen a surge, with 125,000 cases in 2024 – double the previous year.
In the UK, authorities last week reported the death of a child from measles in a Liverpool hospital. Despite years of awareness campaigns, only about 84 per cent of children in the UK are protected. Helen Bradford, a professor of children’s health at University College London, stated: "It is hugely concerning, but not at all surprising, that we are continuing to see outbreaks of measles. The only way to stop measles spreading is with vaccination. It is never too late to be vaccinated — even as an adult." Vaccines prevent an estimated 3.5 million to 5 million deaths annually.
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