Latest news with #Gavi
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
UN says 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year
More than 14 million children worldwide did not receive a single vaccine last year, a figure that remains stubbornly consistent with the previous year, according to a stark warning from UN health officials. Nine countries alone account for over half of these unprotected children. In their annual global vaccine coverage estimate, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF revealed that approximately 89 per cent of children under one year old received a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTP) vaccine in 2024, mirroring 2023 levels. While 85 per cent completed the three-dose series, a slight increase from 84 per cent in 2023, officials cautioned that a collapse in international aid this year threatens to reverse progress. This setback follows a series of significant policy shifts by the United States. In January, US President Trump withdrew the country from the WHO, froze nearly all humanitarian aid, and later moved to close the US AID Agency. Last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the US was pulling billions of dollars previously pledged to Gavi, the vaccines alliance, claiming the group had "ignored the science." Mr Kennedy, a longtime vaccine sceptic, has previously questioned the DTP vaccine, despite its proven safety and effectiveness through years of study and real-world use. "Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. UN experts highlighted that vaccine access remains "deeply unequal," with conflict and humanitarian crises quickly unravelling progress. Sudan reported the lowest DTP coverage. The nine countries accounting for 52 per cent of all unvaccinated children are Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola. While global measles vaccine coverage saw a slight rise, with 76 per cent of children receiving both doses, experts stress that 95 per cent coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease. The WHO noted that 60 countries reported major measles outbreaks last year. The US is currently experiencing its worst measles outbreak in over three decades, while Europe has seen a surge, with 125,000 cases in 2024 – double the previous year. In the UK, authorities last week reported the death of a child from measles in a Liverpool hospital. Despite years of awareness campaigns, only about 84 per cent of children in the UK are protected. Helen Bradford, a professor of children's health at University College London, stated: "It is hugely concerning, but not at all surprising, that we are continuing to see outbreaks of measles. The only way to stop measles spreading is with vaccination. It is never too late to be vaccinated — even as an adult." Vaccines prevent an estimated 3.5 million to 5 million deaths annually. __ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Health
- Arab News
14 million children did not receive a single vaccine in 2024, UN estimates
LONDON: More than 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year — about the same number as the year before — according to UN health officials. Nine countries accounted for more than half of those unprotected children. In their annual estimate of global vaccine coverage, released Tuesday, the World Health Organization and UNICEF said about 89 percent of children under 1 year old got a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine in 2024, the same as in 2023. About 85 percent completed the three-dose series, up from 84 percent in 2023. Officials acknowledged, however, that the collapse of international aid this year will make it more difficult to reduce the number of unprotected children. In January, US President Trump withdrew the country from the WHO, froze nearly all humanitarian aid and later moved to close the US AID Agency. And last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it was pulling the billions of dollars the US had previously pledged to the vaccines alliance Gavi, saying the group had 'ignored the science.' Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has previously raised questions the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine — which has proven to be safe and effective after years of study and real-world use. Vaccines prevent 3.5 million to 5 million deaths a year, according to UN estimates. 'Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress,' said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. UN experts said that access to vaccines remained 'deeply unequal' and that conflict and humanitarian crises quickly unraveled progress; Sudan had the lowest reported coverage against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. The data showed that nine countries accounted for 52 percent of all children who missed out on immunizations entirely: Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Angola. WHO and UNICEF said coverage against measles rose slightly, with 76 percent of children worldwide receiving both vaccine doses. But experts say measles vaccine rates need to reach 95 percent to prevent outbreaks of the extremely contagious disease. WHO noted that 60 countries reported big measles outbreaks last year. The US is now having its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, while the disease has also surged across Europe, with 125,000 cases in 2024 — twice as many as the previous year, according to WHO. Last week, British authorities reported a child died of measles in a Liverpool hospital. Health officials said that despite years of efforts to raise awareness, only about 84 percent of children in the UK are protected. 'It is hugely concerning, but not at all surprising, that we are continuing to see outbreaks of measles,' said Helen Bradford, a professor of children's health at University College London. 'The only way to stop measles spreading is with vaccination,' she said in a statement. 'It is never too late to be vaccinated — even as an adult.'
Economic Times
4 hours 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.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
India accounts for 6.4% of global zero-dose children in 2024: UN
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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 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. Live Events 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.
TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Making diphtheria great again? Why SA's public health experts are worried about RFK Jr
They used to call it the strangling angel. The grey membrane would take the form of wings at the back of the child's throat, spreading quickly, thickening up like leather. As the diphtheria moved through the body, a toxin would be released, potent enough to stop the heart and paralyse the nervous system. Some of the children who caught it would die within days, their narrow airways blocked by the winged formation. Before vaccines were widely available, diphtheria was a leading global killer. But after the World Health Organisation (WHO) rolled out standard immunisation campaigns in 1974, new cases of diphtheria reduced by more than 90%. Today, most people would be hard-pressed to tell you what diphtheria is, never mind what it does to the body of a small child. But one three-minute video released on social media at the end of June may change all that. That's when US health czar Robert F Kennedy Jr accused Gavi, the international vaccine alliance, of distributing a version of what's known as DTP — the combined diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine — that does more harm than good. Kennedy, known as RFK Jr, also halted all US funding to the group until it embraces what he defines as proper science. RFK Jr's vaccine stance is completely at odds with the global public health community and years of science, ignoring years of research that have found vaccines are safe and effective and which have saved an estimated 154-million lives — mostly under the age of 5 — over the past 50 years.
