The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that more than 14 million children globally have not received a single dose of any vaccine, according to new data. This is a significant increase from the baseline year of 2019, with about 1.4 million more unvaccinated children.
Conflict and lack of access are major barriers to vaccination rates. About 25% of infants live in 26 countries affected by conflict or humanitarian crises, but they account for half of all unvaccinated children. This can be attributed to factors such as disrupted supply chains, misinformation about vaccines, and unstable health systems.
WHO Director Dr. Kate O’Brien emphasized the importance of maintaining vaccine coverage, stating that even small drops in immunization rates can have devastating consequences, leading to deadly disease outbreaks and increased pressure on already strained health systems.
Despite these concerns, there are encouraging signs. In 2024, 89% of infants globally received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, with 85% completing all three doses. However, 30 million children remain unprotected against measles.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed the need to act now to overcome barriers such as shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems, and misinformation. She urged governments to help fill funding gaps and ensure that no child dies from a preventable disease.
Public health officials are calling on governments worldwide to maintain their commitment to immunization and address these issues.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/14m-children-globally-received-dose-vaccine/story?id=123766744