UN Warns of Global Rise in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

The United Nations and the Gavi vaccine alliance have issued a warning about the increasing resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide, including measles, meningitis, and yellow fever. This troubling trend is driven by misinformation, declining vaccination rates, and cuts in international healthcare funding, which threaten significant health advancements achieved over the past several decades.

Vaccines have been instrumental in saving over 150 million lives in the last fifty years. However, recent setbacks threaten these gains, with reports indicating a rise in outbreaks. Measles, in particular, has seen a dangerous comeback, with cases reaching approximately 10.3 million in 2023—a 20% increase compared to 2022—and an ongoing upward trend since 2021. Current estimates suggest that this pattern continues into 2024 and 2025.

In the past year alone, 138 countries reported measles cases, with 61 experiencing large-scale or disruptive outbreaks—the highest severity seen since 2019. Alongside measles, incidences of meningitis and yellow fever have surged across Africa in 2024. These increases are occurring amid widespread misinformation, rapid population growth, and ongoing humanitarian crises, which exacerbate difficulties in delivering vaccines.

Funding cuts further complicate the picture. The organizations highlight a severe funding shortage that hampers efforts to vaccinate vulnerable populations, particularly children in fragile and conflict-affected regions. Despite a global push to catch up on missed vaccinations post-COVID-19 pandemic, millions of children remain unvaccinated—about 14.5 million missed all routine doses in 2023, an increase from 13.9 million in 2022.

The organizations emphasize the urgent need for increased investment, with Gavi calling for at least $9 billion in funding ahead of its June pledging summit, aiming to protect 500 million children and save at least 8 million lives from 2026 to 2030. This coordinated effort is crucial to reversing the current trajectory and safeguarding health gains for future generations.

This warning was issued at the start of World Immunization Week (April 24-30), underscoring the importance of global vaccination efforts to prevent infectious disease outbreaks and protect public health worldwide.

[Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-vaccine-diseases-globally.html]