The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have released new data showing that 89% of infants globally received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine in 2024. This represents a modest increase from the previous year, but there is still concern about nearly 20 million infants missing out on at least one dose.
The gains are encouraging, but challenges persist, particularly in countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises. In these countries, vaccination progress is stalling or worsening. The data highlights that a quarter of the world’s infants live in just 26 countries affected by such crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally.
The WHO and UNICEF are calling on governments and partners to take action to address these challenges. They emphasize the need for increased funding, strengthened immunization efforts in conflict zones, prioritizing local-led strategies, countering misinformation, and investing in stronger data systems.
To achieve their goals, they recommend closing the funding gap for Gavi’s next strategic cycle (2026-2030), strengthening immunization in conflict and fragile settings, and embedding immunization within primary health care systems. They also highlight the importance of evidence-based approaches to increase vaccine uptake.
Despite these challenges, countries continue to introduce and scale up vaccines, including against human papillomavirus, meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus. The global coverage for measles has improved slightly, but there are still over 30 million children under-protected against this disease.
The WHO and UNICEF stress that the promise of protecting every child is at risk due to funding shortfalls, growing instability worldwide, and rising vaccine misinformation. They urge governments and partners to take immediate action to address these challenges and ensure that all children have access to life-saving vaccines.
Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/15-07-2025-global-childhood-vaccination-coverage-holds-steady-yet-over-14-million-infants-remain-unvaccinated-who-unicef