More than 14 million children worldwide have never received a single dose of any vaccine, new report warns
Context:
A recent report reveals that over 14 million children worldwide remain completely unvaccinated, with conflict zones significantly hampering vaccination efforts. Despite some improvements in routine vaccinations, millions of children are either unvaccinated or partially protected due to incomplete vaccine series. Conflict and fragile states contribute significantly to this problem, with half of all unvaccinated children living in such areas. Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation in high-income countries are also causing a resurgence of preventable diseases like measles and polio. The report underscores the urgent need for increased funding and strategic solutions to improve access to vaccines and overcome barriers such as misinformation and political instability.
Dive Deeper:
An estimated 14.3 million children globally have not received any vaccines, with conflict zones posing significant challenges to vaccination efforts, according to a new report by WHO and UNICEF.
The report highlights a slight improvement in vaccination coverage, with 171,000 fewer children remaining unvaccinated last year compared to 2023, but over 14 million children are still at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Conflict zones are a major barrier, as children in 26 countries facing fragility and humanitarian emergencies are three times more likely to be unvaccinated compared to those in stable regions.
Vaccine hesitancy driven by misinformation is causing a resurgence of diseases in high-income countries, contributing to outbreaks in communities with low vaccination coverage.
Funding cuts, particularly by the US, threaten global vaccination progress, emphasizing the need for strategic investments and local solutions to ensure all children receive life-saving vaccines.
Despite challenges, there has been notable improvement in HPV vaccine coverage globally, with increases in the number of girls receiving doses, particularly in countries like Nigeria and Bangladesh.
The report stresses the critical role of childhood vaccination as a cost-effective intervention and calls for prioritizing and funding vaccination programs to maintain and improve global health security.