WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - 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, according to two UN agencies.
That is 4 million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with the World Health Organization's Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress.
WHO and UNICEF on Monday released new national immunization coverage data.
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.
On the positive side, the national immunization coverage data shows that in 2024, 89 percent of infants globally - about 115 million - received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85 percent - 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, WHO said in a press release.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
