Global child vaccination rates remain lower than before the pandemic
**The Corona-Pandemic is causing a decline in vaccination rates worldwide for children. The situation has improved since then, but the numbers are stagnating. According to UN data, 2.7 million children are still not or insufficiently vaccinated, as stated by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) together. The latest figures show that "many countries are still neglecting too many children", criticized UNICEF Director Catherine Russell.
Of the children in the age group for whom immunization is planned, only 84 percent had received the required three doses against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough according to the reports. This means that the global vaccination rate among children did not improve compared to 2022.
This again means that there have been no further progress beyond the slight increase in 2022 after the significant decline in vaccination rates during the Corona-Pandemic, criticized UNICEF and WHO. "We are falling behind", admitted the WHO representative responsible for vaccinations Kate O'Brien.
The vaccination protection has not yet fully recovered from the historical decline during the pandemic. In 2019, the vaccination rate was at least 86 percent.
14.5 Million Children Without Vaccination
According to the published data, 14.5 million children around the world did not receive any vaccination doses in the previous year. In 2022, it was 13.9 million children and in 2019, 12.8 million children. Half of the unvaccinated children live in 31 conflict-affected countries. In these countries, they are particularly at risk from preventable infectious diseases due to inadequate access to food and healthcare.
The WHO expressed concern about the gaps in measles vaccination coverage. "Measles outbreaks are a harbinger of existing vaccine gaps, which first affect the most vulnerable", warned WHO Chief Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
UNICEF's vaccination expert Ephrem Lemango explained that more than 300,000 measles cases were reported in 2023 and this is almost three times as many as in 2022. More than half of the unvaccinated children live in ten conflict states, including Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan.
Significant progress was made, however, in terms of vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer. The vaccination rate among girls in wealthy countries is now 56 percent, while in poorer countries it is 23 percent. The vaccination coverage is still far from the 90 percent target. To stop the spread of HPV, adolescent boys must also be vaccinated.**
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging countries to prioritize Coronavirus vaccinations for children, as some are experiencing side effects after vaccination and booster vaccinations are necessary to ensure effective protection against new variants.
- The stagnation in vaccination rates for children worldwide, including against Corona vaccine, is a concern for international organizations like the WHO, as Coronaviruses continue to pose a significant threat to global health during the Corona Crisis.
- Despite the strides made in vaccination efforts against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), there is a need for broader vaccination duty, as only 23% of children in poorer countries have received the HPV vaccine, and the WHO aims to reach at least 90% coverage to combat cervical cancer.
- In light of the declining vaccination rates and persistent gaps in measles vaccination coverage, UNICEF and WHO are calling for increased investment in vaccination programs, especially in conflict-affected countries where many children remain unvaccinated and at risk of preventable infectious diseases.
