Daijiworld Media Network - Geneva

Geneva, Jul 15: Over 14 million children around the world missed out on even a single dose of vaccine in 2024, with nine countries — including India — accounting for more than half of these unprotected children, according to the latest joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

The agencies revealed that global immunisation rates have stagnated, with only 89% of children under the age of one receiving their first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine — unchanged from the previous year. Only 85% completed the full three-dose series.

Officials raised concerns that this progress is under threat due to a collapse in international aid. Early this year, US President Donald Trump withdrew America from WHO, froze humanitarian aid, and moved to shut down the US AID Agency. This was followed by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announcing the withdrawal of pledged billions from the Gavi vaccine alliance, alleging the group had “ignored the science”.

Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, has previously questioned the safety of the DTP vaccine, despite overwhelming evidence supporting its effectiveness and safety. WHO estimates that vaccines save between 3.5 to 5 million lives every year.

“Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress,” warned WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The report flagged deep inequalities in access to vaccines, especially in countries facing conflict and humanitarian crises. Sudan recorded the world’s lowest DTP coverage. Along with Nigeria, India, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola, these nine nations made up 52% of the world’s unvaccinated children.

Though measles vaccine coverage rose slightly to 76%, it remains far below the 95% required to prevent outbreaks. WHO said that 60 countries reported major measles outbreaks in 2024. The United States is currently battling its worst measles outbreak in over 30 years, and Europe saw a doubling of cases with 125,000 infections this year.

In the UK, where only 84% of children are vaccinated against measles, a recent death of a child in Liverpool due to the disease has reignited public concern.

“It is hugely concerning, but not at all surprising, that we are continuing to see outbreaks of measles,” said Prof Helen Bradford from University College London. “The only way to stop measles spreading is with vaccination. It is never too late to be vaccinated — even as an adult,” she stressed.