Global Childhood Vaccination Highlights Progress and Challenges Despite Gains

Recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF reveal that, while there have been encouraging improvements in childhood vaccination rates worldwide, more than 14 million children—equivalent to roughly 9% of infants—still remain unvaccinated. These figures underscore both progress and persistent disparities in immunization coverage across different regions.

Last year, approximately 89% of infants globally, around 115 million children, received at least one dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) containing vaccine. Moreover, 85% of these children completed the full three-dose series, reflecting a modest upward trend compared to previous years. Specifically, about 171,000 more children received their initial dose, and 1 million additional children completed the complete vaccination series compared to 2023.

However, despite these gains, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of a DTP vaccine in 2024. Notably, 14.3 million of these children are identified as "zero-dose" children, meaning they did not receive any vaccination at all. This number surpasses the targets set by the Immunization Agenda 2030 by 4 million and is 1.4 million higher than the figures recorded in 2019. Persistent challenges such as conflict, humanitarian crises, and fragile health systems significantly hinder vaccination efforts. UNICEF reports that while only 26 countries are affected by crises, these nations are responsible for half of all unvaccinated children. The number of unvaccinated children in conflict-affected countries increased from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, emphasizing the urgent need for integrating immunization services into humanitarian responses.

Other vaccination efforts show promising progress. For example, 31% of eligible adolescent girls received at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2024, up from 17% in 2019. Additionally, measles vaccination coverage improved slightly, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% completing the second dose.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the importance of sustained efforts, stating, "The good news is that we have reached more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions remain unprotected against preventable diseases, and that should concern us all. We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems, misinformation, and access issues caused by conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent."

These statistics highlight the ongoing need for global collaboration and targeted interventions to close immunization gaps, especially in vulnerable regions affected by crises, to ensure every child has access to essential vaccines.