Latest news with #DTP-containing
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
Global childhood vaccination shows slight improvement but challenges remain
A little girl reacts after receiving an oral vaccine during a vaccination drive for diphtheria, influenza, tetanus and pneumococcus in Lima, Peru November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/File Photo By Sriparna Roy A million more children completed the critical three-dose vaccination against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to new data released by the World Health Organization. Despite the progress, drastic changes in funding, growing global conflicts, and rising vaccine misinformation threaten to further stall or even reverse progress which poses a threat. "We've hit this very stubborn glass ceiling, and breaking through that glass to protect more children against vaccine-preventable diseases is becoming more difficult," WHO's director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, Kate O'Brien, told reporters. In 2024, 89% of infants globally, about 115 million, received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine, and roughly 109 million completed all three doses of the staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough, according to the new national immunization coverage data released on Tuesday by the WHO and UNICEF. But, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine, which includes 14.3 million "zero-dose" children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. This is 4 million more than the target for the year needed to stay on track with Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, the report added. The world is currently off track for the goal, which has been to halve the number of zero-dose children and achieve at least 90% global immunization coverage. Data shows a quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. In half of these countries the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024. "We're starting to see the emerging signs of slippage, and in other countries, stalling of vaccine coverage," said O'Brien. Despite the challenges, countries have been able to scale up vaccines for diseases such as HPV, meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus. In 2024, 31% of eligible adolescent girls globally received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. While this is far from the 90% coverage target by 2030, it represents a substantial increase from the 17% coverage in 2019. Global coverage against measles also improved, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95% needed in every community to prevent outbreaks. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
India accounts for 6.4% of global zero-dose children in 2024: UN
New Delhi: India constituted 6.4 per cent of the global population of children who did not receive a single dose of any vaccine in 2024, according to a United Nations report. The new national immunisation coverage data released on Monday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF also highlighted that "India accounted for 49.2% of zero-dose children in South Asia", as per statistics from the Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA). The term "zero-dose children" refers to those who have not received any routine immunisations, including the first dose of the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine. This metric is a critical indicator of access to immunisation services and overall healthcare infrastructure. The report said India accounted for "6.4% of zero-dose children globally". Every year, WHO and UNICEF release global and national routine immunisation coverage estimates (WUENIC). Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, analyses what the 2024 WUENIC data says about the state of immunisation in the 57 low- and lower-middle-income countries it supports. Gavi said nearly half (4.9 million) of all the 10.2 million zero-dose children in lower-income countries live in five populous nations - Nigeria, DR Congo, India, Pakistan, and Ethiopia. It pointed out that coverage with the first dose of the DTP vaccine (DTP1) is an important measure that helps the world understand how many zero-dose children still don't have access to life-saving vaccines. DTP1 coverage stood at 87 per cent in 2024 - nearly recovered from a four percentage point decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic. "This means there are half a million fewer zero-dose children in lower-income countries in 2024, thanks mainly to targeted efforts in populous countries like India, DR Congo, and Ethiopia," Gavi said. The report said in 2024, 89 per cent of infants globally -- about 115 million -- received at least one dose of DTP vaccine, and 85 per cent -- 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, the report said. Still, 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. That's four million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with Immunisation Agenda 2030 goals and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress, the report said. "Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies, and nations to flourish," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It's encouraging to see a continued increase in the number of children being vaccinated, although we still have a lot of work to do. Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress," he said. The report noted that children often remain un- or under-vaccinated due to a combination of factors, such as limited access to immunisation services, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines. 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. Concerningly, in half of these countries, the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, underscoring the need for humanitarian responses to include immunisation, the report said Immunisation coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi has improved in the past year, reducing the number of un- and under-vaccinated children by roughly 650,000. At the same time, signs of slippage are emerging in upper-middle- and high-income countries that have previously maintained at least 90% coverage. Even small declines in immunisation coverage can dramatically raise the risk of disease outbreaks and place additional strain on already overstretched health systems. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases , and that should worry us all," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems, along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent," she said.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
India accounts for 6.4% of global zero-dose children in 2024: UN
ANI India cuts zero-dose children by 43 per cent as South Asia hits record-high children immunization in 2024 India constituted 6.4 per cent of the global population of children who did not receive a single dose of any vaccine in 2024, according to a United Nations report. The new national immunisation coverage data released on Monday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF also highlighted that "India accounted for 49.2% of zero-dose children in South Asia", as per statistics from the Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA). The term "zero-dose children" refers to those who have not received any routine immunisations, including the first dose of the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine. This metric is a critical indicator of access to immunisation services and overall healthcare infrastructure. The report said India accounted for "6.4% of zero-dose children globally". Every year, WHO and UNICEF release global and national routine immunisation coverage estimates (WUENIC). Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, analyses what the 2024 WUENIC data says about the state of immunisation in the 57 low- and lower-middle-income countries it supports. Gavi said nearly half (4.9 million) of all the 10.2 million zero-dose children in lower-income countries live in five populous nations - Nigeria, DR Congo, India, Pakistan, and Ethiopia. It pointed out that coverage with the first dose of the DTP vaccine (DTP1) is an important measure that helps the world understand how many zero-dose children still don't have access to life-saving vaccines. DTP1 coverage stood at 87 per cent in 2024 - nearly recovered from a four percentage point decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic. "This means there are half a million fewer zero-dose children in lower-income countries in 2024, thanks mainly to targeted efforts in populous countries like India, DR Congo, and Ethiopia," Gavi said. The report said in 2024, 89 per cent of infants globally -- about 115 million -- received at least one dose of DTP vaccine, and 85 per cent -- 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, the report said. Still, 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. That's four million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with Immunisation Agenda 2030 goals and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress, the report said. "Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies, and nations to flourish," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It's encouraging to see a continued increase in the number of children being vaccinated, although we still have a lot of work to do. Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress," he said. The report noted that children often remain un- or under-vaccinated due to a combination of factors, such as limited access to immunisation services, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines. 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. Concerningly, in half of these countries, the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, underscoring the need for humanitarian responses to include immunisation, the report said Immunisation coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi has improved in the past year, reducing the number of un- and under-vaccinated children by roughly 650,000. At the same time, signs of slippage are emerging in upper-middle- and high-income countries that have previously maintained at least 90% coverage. Even small declines in immunisation coverage can dramatically raise the risk of disease outbreaks and place additional strain on already overstretched health systems. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems, along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent," she said.
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First Post
5 days ago
- Health
- First Post
Global childhood vaccination improves in 2024, but progress threatened by conflict and misinformation
In 2024, 89% of infants globally, about 115 million, received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine, and roughly 109 million completed all three doses of the staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough, according to the new national immunization coverage data released on Tuesday by the WHO and UNICEF read more A little girl reacts after receiving an oral vaccine during a vaccination drive for diphtheria, influenza, tetanus and pneumococcus in Lima, Peru. File image/ Reuters A million more children completed the critical three-dose vaccination against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to new data released by the World Health Organization. Despite the progress, drastic changes in funding, growing global conflicts, and rising vaccine misinformation threaten to further stall or even reverse progress which poses a threat. 'We've hit this very stubborn glass ceiling, and breaking through that glass to protect more children against vaccine-preventable diseases is becoming more difficult,' WHO's director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, Kate O'Brien, told reporters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2024, 89% of infants globally, about 115 million, received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine, and roughly 109 million completed all three doses of the staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough, according to the new national immunization coverage data released on Tuesday by the WHO and UNICEF. But, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine, which includes 14.3 million 'zero-dose' children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. This is 4 million more than the target for the year needed to stay on track with Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, the report added. The world is currently off track for the goal, which has been to halve the number of zero-dose children and achieve at least 90% global immunization coverage. Data shows a quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. In half of these countries the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024. 'We're starting to see the emerging signs of slippage, and in other countries, stalling of vaccine coverage,' said O'Brien. Despite the challenges, countries have been able to scale up vaccines for diseases such as HPV, meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2024, 31% of eligible adolescent girls globally received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. While this is far from the 90% coverage target by 2030, it represents a substantial increase from the 17% coverage in 2019. Global coverage against measles also improved, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95% needed in every community to prevent outbreaks. 'The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,' said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Over 14 million infants missed all vaccines in 2024, warn WHO and UNICEF
Over 14 million infants worldwide did not receive any routine vaccinations in 2024, says the latest joint report by WHO and UNICEF. This marks an increase from 12.9 million in 2019 and is 4 million higher than the annual target required to stay on track with the Immunization Agenda 2030 goals. More than half of the world's unvaccinated infants are in nine countries — Nigeria, India, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola. While these nations account for a large share of zero-dose children, it's important to note that high overall coverage can still exist alongside high absolute numbers. For example, India recorded 909,000 unvaccinated infants in 2024, about 6 per cent of the global total, despite reaching 96 per cent vaccine coverage among 22.7 million infants. Vaccination coverage steady, but below target Global childhood vaccination rates showed marginal improvement in 2024: 89 per cent of infants received at least one dose of the DTP vaccine (against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis/ whooping cough). 85 per cent completed the recommended three-dose series. Around 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine last year. 84 per cent received the first dose of measles vaccine Global coverage for the first dose of HPV vaccine in girls grew from 27 per cent in 2023 to 31 per cent in 2024. Coverage of yellow fever vaccine in the countries at risk of it is 50 per cent, well below the recommended 80 per cent. Funding, misinformation and added challenges UN officials expressed concern about the slashed health aid budgets. 'Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish,' said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 'Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress.' The report highlights that around 10.2 million unvaccinated or under-vaccinated infants live in countries facing conflict or social and institutional instability. These children are the most vulnerable to disease outbreaks and urgently need focused support. Why vaccines still matter Vaccines save up to five million lives every year, according to WHO. Unvaccinated children are significantly more vulnerable to life-threatening diseases, which can also spread rapidly through communities when herd immunity falters. While stabilising coverage is a step forward, the continued presence of over 14 million zero-dose infants is a global red flag. Unless urgent action is taken, health experts warn that progress made over decades in childhood immunisation could unravel, leaving the world vulnerable to preventable but deadly disease outbreaks. To reach every child, WHO and UNICEF calls for: 1. Targeted funding for countries with the highest zero-dose populations 2. Better delivery mechanisms in fragile and conflict-affected regions 3. Strong public messaging to combat vaccine hesitancy and disinformation 4. Investing in better data and disease surveillance systems for high-impact immunization programmes.
