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Japan Today
3 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
Global childhood vaccination shows slight improvement but challenges remain
A little girl reacts after receiving an oral vaccine during a vaccination drive for diphtheria, influenza, tetanus and pneumococcus in Lima, Peru November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/File Photo By Sriparna Roy A million more children completed the critical three-dose vaccination against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to new data released by the World Health Organization. Despite the progress, drastic changes in funding, growing global conflicts, and rising vaccine misinformation threaten to further stall or even reverse progress which poses a threat. "We've hit this very stubborn glass ceiling, and breaking through that glass to protect more children against vaccine-preventable diseases is becoming more difficult," WHO's director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, Kate O'Brien, told reporters. In 2024, 89% of infants globally, about 115 million, received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine, and roughly 109 million completed all three doses of the staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough, according to the new national immunization coverage data released on Tuesday by the WHO and UNICEF. But, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine, which includes 14.3 million "zero-dose" children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. This is 4 million more than the target for the year needed to stay on track with Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, the report added. The world is currently off track for the goal, which has been to halve the number of zero-dose children and achieve at least 90% global immunization coverage. Data shows a quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. In half of these countries the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024. "We're starting to see the emerging signs of slippage, and in other countries, stalling of vaccine coverage," said O'Brien. Despite the challenges, countries have been able to scale up vaccines for diseases such as HPV, meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus. In 2024, 31% of eligible adolescent girls globally received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. While this is far from the 90% coverage target by 2030, it represents a substantial increase from the 17% coverage in 2019. Global coverage against measles also improved, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95% needed in every community to prevent outbreaks. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
South Asia achieves record immunization coverage; India, Nepal lead progress: WHO-UNICEF
New Delhi: South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children - those who have not received a single vaccine - by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. However, Afghanistan continued to struggle, with the lowest coverage in the region and a one percentage point decline since last year, it added. The progress marks a milestone in the region's efforts to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases. "This is a proud moment for South Asia. More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, donors' and partners' support and the unwavering trust of families," said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. "But we cannot forget the millions of children who are under-vaccinated or unvaccinated. Now is the time to push further, especially into the most rural areas, to give every child his or her right to healthcare in the earliest years of life," he said. In 2024, 92 per cent of infants in South Asia received the third dose of the DTP vaccine - a crucial global indicator - up two percentage points from 2023. The first-dose DTP coverage rose from 93 to 95 per cent, showing a strong recovery beyond pre-COVID levels, the statement said. There was also a 27 per cent drop in zero-dose children across the region, from 2.5 million in 2023 to 1.8 million in 2024. The region also made significant strides in measles control. In 2024, 93 per cent of infants received the first dose and 88 per cent the second dose of the measles vaccine , up from 90 per cent and 87 per cent respectively. Measles cases fell 39 per cent -- from over 90,000 in 2023 to about 55,000 this year. However, coverage still remains below the 95 per cent threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, the statement said. "It is heartening to see WHO South-East Asia Region reach the highest ever immunization rates, surpassing the pre-pandemic up-trend. We must build on this momentum and step up efforts to reach every child with these lifesaving vaccines. Together we can, and we must," said Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi, Director Programme Management, WHO South-East Asia Region. HPV vaccination coverage for adolescent girls rose from 2 per cent in 2023 to 9 per cent in 2024. Bangladesh made significant progress, vaccinating over 7.1 million girls since launching its programme in 2023. Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka also increased their HPV coverage by 3 percentage points (91 per cent to 94 per cent), 15 points (60 per cent to 75 per cent), and 17 points (31 per cent to 48 per cent) respectively. Nepal launched its national HPV vaccination campaign in February 2025 and has vaccinated over 1.4 million girls. India and Pakistan are expected to roll out their HPV vaccination programmes later this year, the statement said. Behind these gains are sustained government efforts, investments, policies, and the dedication of frontline and community health workers-many of them women-alongside donor and partner support. Use of digital tools, improved data systems, and targeted outreach campaigns have also played a key role, it said. While significant progress was made, over 2.9 million children in the region remain un- or under-vaccinated and therefore unprotected, the statement said. With this in mind, UNICEF and WHO urged governments in South Asia to sustain political commitment, increase domestic financing for immunization, expand HPV vaccine coverage, and intensify efforts to reach zero-dose and under-vaccinated children. They also called for greater investment in frontline health workers and reinforcement of surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
India accounts for 6.4% of global zero-dose children in 2024: UN
New Delhi: India constituted 6.4 per cent of the global population of children who did not receive a single dose of any vaccine in 2024, according to a United Nations report. The new national immunisation coverage data released on Monday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF also highlighted that "India accounted for 49.2% of zero-dose children in South Asia", as per statistics from the Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA). The term "zero-dose children" refers to those who have not received any routine immunisations, including the first dose of the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine. This metric is a critical indicator of access to immunisation services and overall healthcare infrastructure. The report said India accounted for "6.4% of zero-dose children globally". Every year, WHO and UNICEF release global and national routine immunisation coverage estimates (WUENIC). Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, analyses what the 2024 WUENIC data says about the state of immunisation in the 57 low- and lower-middle-income countries it supports. Gavi said nearly half (4.9 million) of all the 10.2 million zero-dose children in lower-income countries live in five populous nations - Nigeria, DR Congo, India, Pakistan, and Ethiopia. It pointed out that coverage with the first dose of the DTP vaccine (DTP1) is an important measure that helps the world understand how many zero-dose children still don't have access to life-saving vaccines. DTP1 coverage stood at 87 per cent in 2024 - nearly recovered from a four percentage point decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic. "This means there are half a million fewer zero-dose children in lower-income countries in 2024, thanks mainly to targeted efforts in populous countries like India, DR Congo, and Ethiopia," Gavi said. The report said in 2024, 89 per cent of infants globally -- about 115 million -- received at least one dose of DTP vaccine, and 85 per cent -- roughly 109 million -- completed all three doses. Compared to 2023, around 171,000 more children received at least one vaccine, and one million more completed the full three-dose DTP series. While the gains are modest, they signal continued progress by countries working to protect children, even amid growing challenges, the report said. Still, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine last year, including 14.3 million "zero-dose" children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. That's four million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with Immunisation Agenda 2030 goals and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress, the report said. "Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies, and nations to flourish," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It's encouraging to see a continued increase in the number of children being vaccinated, although we still have a lot of work to do. Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress," he said. The report noted that children often remain un- or under-vaccinated due to a combination of factors, such as limited access to immunisation services, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines. Data from 195 countries show that 131 countries have consistently reached at least 90% of children with the first dose of DTP vaccine since 2019, but there has been no significant movement in expanding this group. Among the countries that reached less than 90% in 2019, only 17 managed to increase their coverage rates in the past five years. Meanwhile, in 47 countries, progress is stalling or worsening. This includes 22 countries that achieved and surpassed the 90% target in 2019 but have since declined. The data shows conflict and humanitarian crises can quickly erode vaccination progress. A quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. Concerningly, in half of these countries, the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, underscoring the need for humanitarian responses to include immunisation, the report said Immunisation coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi has improved in the past year, reducing the number of un- and under-vaccinated children by roughly 650,000. At the same time, signs of slippage are emerging in upper-middle- and high-income countries that have previously maintained at least 90% coverage. Even small declines in immunisation coverage can dramatically raise the risk of disease outbreaks and place additional strain on already overstretched health systems. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases , and that should worry us all," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems, along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent," she said.
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
India cuts number of unvaccinated children by 43% in a year: WHO report
India reduced its number of 'zero-dose' children, those who didn't receive even a single vaccine, by 43% in a one year, according to a new global report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 2023, India had about 16 lakh such children. That number dropped to 9 lakh in 2024, marking a reduction of nearly 700,000 unprotected improvement is a part of a larger positive trend in South Asia, where vaccination rates have reached record highs. In 2024, 92% of infants in the region received their third dose of the DTP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough — a 2% increase from 2023 and higher than even pre-Covid UNICEF's South Asia Regional Director, Sanjay Wijesekera, called it a proud moment and credited health workers and better planning for the success. However, he also stressed that efforts must continue to reach children in remote and underserved report also highlighted that measles vaccination has improved in the region. About 93% of infants received the first dose, and 88% got the second, helping to reduce measles cases by 39% in 2024. But experts say 95% coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks of this highly contagious more than 14 million children still missed all vaccines last year, about the same as in 2023, and nearly 6 million more got only some doses, leaving them only partially protected. India is one of nine countries that account for over half of these unvaccinated children, alongside Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, and report warns that access to vaccines remains unequal, especially in areas facing conflict or humanitarian crises. It also raises concerns about misinformation and cuts in international aid, which may reverse the gains made so far. WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that false claims about vaccine safety and reduced funding could undo decades of hard work.'The latest estimates highlight a really concerning trajectory,' Dr. Kate O'Brien, director of WHO's Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, said in a news briefing.'The global vision is for everyone everywhere to benefit from lifesaving vaccines,' she said. 'But we've hit this very stubborn glass ceiling, and breaking through that glass to protect more children against vaccine-preventable diseases is becoming more difficult.'Encouragingly, India and Pakistan are expected to begin their HPV vaccination campaigns later this year, aiming to protect girls from cervical cancer. Other countries like Bangladesh have already vaccinated over 7 million the progress is promising, experts say the mission is not over. More than 2.9 million children in South Asia are still un- or under-vaccinated. Continued effort, awareness, and support are crucial to ensure that every child is protected from preventable diseases.- EndsMust Watch
Medscape
4 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Global Childhood Vaccination Stalls, 2030 Targets at Risk
Global childhood vaccination coverage plateaued between 2010 and 2023, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study vaccination research consortium. Between 2010 and 2019, 100 of the 204 countries monitored saw a decline in measles vaccine coverage. Notably, 21 of the 36 high-income countries experienced a drop in coverage for at least one vaccine dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP); measles; or polio. 'These types of study will always be limited by the lack of high quality national data from most countries in the world which means there has to be extrapolation and assumption,' said Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and professor of Infection and Immunity at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, in a press statement. 'Nevertheless, these are important data providing a concerning picture of recent declines in vaccine coverage and an increase in the number of zero dose children which risks the future health and lives of millions of children.' Between 1980 and 2023, global coverage of vaccines against DTP, measles, polio, and tuberculosis nearly doubled. These gains reflect the success of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunization, launched in 1974 to ensure universal access to essential vaccines. Between 1980 and 2019, the number of children who received no doses of DTP in their first year of life dropped from 58.8 million to 14.7 million — figures recorded just before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted immunization programs worldwide. To support the WHO's 2019 goal of improving global vaccination coverage by 2030, the GBD consortium conducted an in-depth analysis of routine childhood immunization trends in 204 countries and territories from 1980 to 2023, with projections through 2030. The findings are intended to inform global and regional strategies for closing coverage gaps over the next 5 years. Progress Slowed After 2010 The study found that global progress in childhood immunization stalled around 2010 and has since reversed in several regions. Coverage rates for DTP, measles, and polio declined notably in many countries. Polio remains endemic in parts of the world, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, which continue to report outbreaks caused by wild poliovirus. In Papua New Guinea, less than half of the population is vaccinated against the disease. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted global vaccination efforts. Between 2020 and 2023, approximately 15.6 million children missed all three doses of DTP, another 15.6 million missed their first dose of the measles vaccine, 15.9 million went without all three polio vaccine doses, and 9.2 million were not immunized with the BCG vaccine. In 2023 alone, an estimated 15.7 million children worldwide did not receive any dose of the DTP vaccine in their first year of life. Brazil ranked eighth globally, with roughly 452,000 unvaccinated children. The countries with the highest numbers of zero-dose children included Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), and Indonesia (538,000). Mixed Forecasts for 2030 Goals Looking ahead, projections for 2030 suggest that only DTP coverage is on track to reach 90% globally. Coverage for measles and other routine vaccines is expected to remain highly variable by region. Among the 204 countries and territories analyzed, only 85 are currently estimated to have achieved 90% coverage for the full three-dose DTP series, 56 for pneumococcal vaccine, and 57 for the two-dose measles schedule. In the baseline scenario, those numbers are projected to rise by 2030 to 108 countries achieving 90% DTP coverage, 83 for pneumococcal, and 91 for measles. Only high-income regions are expected to maintain ≥ 90% coverage for all three vaccines. In the most optimistic scenario, 186 countries could meet the DTP target, 171 for pneumococcal, and 161 for measles. In contrast, a worst-case scenario would see even high-performing countries fall below the 90% threshold by 2030. Call for Change To achieve the Immunization Agenda 2030 goal of halving the number of zero-dose children and reaching 90% coverage across all vaccines throughout the life course, the study highlights the urgent need for 'transformational improvements in equity.' These include targeted immunization strategies, strengthening of primary care, and efforts to counter vaccine hesitancy. Emily Haeuser, PhD, lead author of the study, emphasized the challenge of improving vaccine delivery and uptake in underserved areas. 'The diversity of challenges and barriers to immunization varies widely across countries and within communities,' she said, pointing to factors such as displacement, armed conflict, political instability, economic uncertainty, climate crises, misinformation, and vaccine hesitancy. 'This underscores the need for new, locally tailored solutions.' Helen Bedford, PhD, professor of child health at University College London, London, England, who was not involved in the study, added that the decline in vaccine uptake stems from a complex set of issues. 'Addressing these challenges requires commitment and resources to tackle growing social inequalities, misinformation about vaccine safety, and the need to rebuild public trust in immunization programs,' she said. 'Vaccination remains our most powerful tool to protect child health, but its success depends on sustained investment, equity, and public confidence.'
