July 16, 2024 Global childhood immunization coverage will plateau in 2023.

July 16, 2024

Global childhood immunization rates are set to stagnate in 2023, according to newly released data from WHO and UNICEF, resulting in 2.7 million unvaccinated or undervaccinated children compared to the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

The results show that the number of children who received three doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DPT) vaccine remained stable at 84% (108 million) in 2023. However, the number of children who did not receive a single dose of the vaccine increased from 13.9 million in 2022 to 14.5 million in 2023.

More than half of unvaccinated children live in 31 Countries with Fragile Environmentsconflict-affected and vulnerable settings, where children are particularly vulnerable to preventable diseases due to disruptions and lack of access to safety, nutrition and health services.

Data also show that vaccination rates against the deadly disease measles are stagnating, leaving nearly 35 million children unprotected or partially protected.

In 2023, only 83% of children worldwide have received their first dose of vaccine. measles vaccine through routine health services, while the number of children receiving a second dose increased slightly from the previous year to 74%. These figures fall short of the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks, prevent unnecessary illness and death, and achieve measles elimination goals.

Over the past five years, 103 countries, home to about three-quarters of the world’s children, have experienced measles outbreaks. Low vaccination coverage (80% or less) was a significant factor. In contrast, 91 countries with good measles vaccination coverage have had no outbreaks.

New data also highlight some positive developments in immunization coverage. The continued introduction of new and underused vaccines, such as those against human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis, pneumococcal, polio and rotavirus, continues to expand protection, particularly in the 57 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

However, HPV vaccination coverage is well below the 90% target to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, reaching only 56% of adolescent girls in high-income countries and 23% in low- and middle-income countries.

Vaccine