Latest news with #RobertFKennedyJr
Asharq Al-Awsat
7 hours ago
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
UN Says 14 Million Children Did Not Receive a Single Vaccine in 2024
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% of children under one year old got a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine in 2024, the same as in 2023. About 85% completed the three-dose series, up from 84% 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% of all children who missed out on immunizations entirely: Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Angola. WHO and UNICEF said that coverage against measles rose slightly, with 76% of children worldwide receiving both vaccine doses. But experts say measles vaccine rates need to reach 95% 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% 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.'
New York Times
8 hours ago
- Health
- New York Times
H.H.S. Finalizes Thousands of Layoffs After Supreme Court Decision
The Department of Health and Human Services finalized the layoffs of thousands of employees after a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for the Trump administration to proceed with mass firings across the government. Employees received notice of their termination late Monday, marking a turning point in the reshaping of the nation's health care work force. Those let go included people who coordinated travel for overseas drug facility inspectors, communications staff members, public records officials and employees who oversaw contracts related to medical research. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced 10,000 layoffs late in March, cutting workers across the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal health agencies. Some workers who received the initial layoff notices on April 1 found out only when their badge to enter a building did not work. Still, many of them remained on the federal payroll until Monday at 5 p.m., when a message went out citing last week's Supreme Court decision that allowed Trump officials to significantly slash the size of the federal payroll even as court challenges to the administration's plans play out. 'Thank you for your service to the American people,' the email said. While many of the workers were described by the Trump administration as redundant or duplicative, critics have compared the cuts to leaving only doctors — and no support staff — to operate a hospital. The result is a hobbled work force, said Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and a former Biden administration health official. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Nearly 15 million children went unvaccinated in 2024, says the UN
UN health officials have warned that 14 million children worldwide did not receive any vaccinations last year, a figure consistent with the previous year, with nine countries accounting for over half of these unprotected children. The World Health Organisation and UNICEF reported stable DTP vaccine coverage, but cautioned that a potential collapse in international aid this year threatens to reverse progress. Significant setbacks are attributed to US policy shifts, including President Trump's withdrawal from the WHO and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to pull billions from Gavi, the vaccines alliance. Experts highlighted that unequal vaccine access, ongoing conflicts, and widespread misinformation are unwinding decades of progress, with Sudan reporting the lowest DTP coverage. Global measles vaccine coverage remains below the 95 per cent needed to prevent outbreaks, leading to major surges in cases across Europe and the US, and a recent child death in the UK.
The Independent
9 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
10 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.'
