More than 14 million children around the world did not get even one vaccine in 2024, the same as in 2023, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. Most of these children were from just nine countries, including Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola.
Experts from the UN said that access to vaccines is still very unequal. Wars, conflicts, and other crises often stop children from getting life-saving vaccines. For example, Sudan had the lowest vaccine coverage against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough.
In their new report, WHO and UNICEF said that 89% of babies under 1 year received their first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine. About 85% completed the full three-dose series, slightly better than the 84% in 2023.
But officials warned that 2025 could see even more problems. The U.S. government stopped most of its foreign aid and support for global health programs. In January, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from WHO and froze major aid programs. Later, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled billions in promised funding for Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, claiming it had “ignored the science.” Kennedy is also known for his past doubts about vaccines, even though studies show they are safe and save millions of lives every year.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that false information and sudden aid cuts are putting decades of progress at risk. He stressed that vaccines help prevent between 3.5 to 5 million deaths every year.
There was a small improvement in measles vaccine coverage, with 76% of children worldwide getting both doses. However, this is still far from the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks. WHO said that in 2024, 60 countries saw large measles outbreaks. The U.S. is having its worst outbreak in 30 years, while Europe reported 125,000 cases—double from 2023.
Experts warn that the only way to stop diseases like measles is through vaccination. “It is never too late to get vaccinated,” said health professor Helen Bradford.
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