Latest news with #UNICEF
Hans India
39 minutes ago
- Health
- Hans India
Over 14 mn children worldwide did not receive a single vaccine in 2024: UN
New Delhi: More than 14 million children worldwide did not receive a single dose of any vaccine in 2024, according to new national immunisation coverage data released on Tuesday by the UN agencies World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The report showed that nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine last year, threatening to unwind decades of progress. More than 30 million children also remained under-protected against measles, leading to more large or disruptive outbreaks. In 2024, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks rose sharply to 60, nearly doubling from 33 in 2022. The report blamed limited access to immunisation services, disrupted supply, conflict, and instability, or misinformation about vaccines for children remaining un or under-vaccinated. "Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He noted that the missed doses were due to the 'drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines'. The report also noted that global childhood vaccination coverage held steady with around 171,000 more children receiving at least one vaccine compared to 2023, and one million more completed the full three-dose DTP series. In 2024, 89 per cent of infants globally -– about 115 million -– received at least one dose of the DTP-containing vaccine, and 85 per cent -- roughly 109 million – completed all three doses. Coverage against measles also improved, with 84 per cent of children receiving the first dose and 76 per cent receiving the second dose, which shows a slight increase from the previous year. An estimated 2 million more children were reached in 2024, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95 per cent 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. Russell called on governments for increased 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.' The report also raised concerns over falling national and global funding, growing instability worldwide, and rising vaccine misinformation that is threatening to further stall or even reverse progress made in the last several decades. This would risk increases in severe disease and deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
UN says 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine in 2024
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 per cent 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 per cent completed the three-dose series, up from 84 per cent 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 per cent of all children who missed out on immunisations entirely: Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Angola. WHO and UNICEF said that coverage against measles rose slightly, with 76 per cent of children worldwide receiving both vaccine doses. But experts say measles vaccine rates need to reach 95 per cent 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 1,25,000 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 per cent 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."
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
14 million children did not receive a single vaccine in 2024, UN estimates
More than 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year — about the same number as the year before — according to U.N. 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 1 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, U.S. President Trump withdrew the country from the WHO, froze nearly all humanitarian aid and later moved to close the U.S. AID Agency. And last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it was pulling the billions of dollars the U.S. 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 U.N. 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. U.N. 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 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 U.S. 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 U.K. 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.'
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
14 million children did not receive a single vaccine in 2024, UN estimates
LONDON (AP) — More than 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year — about the same number as the year before — according to U.N. 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 1 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, U.S. President Trump withdrew the country from the WHO, froze nearly all humanitarian aid and later moved to close the U.S. AID Agency . And last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it was pulling the billions of dollars the U.S. 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 U.N. 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. U.N. 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 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 U.S. 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 U.K. 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.' ___ 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.
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Global Childhood Vaccination Shows Slight Improvement but Challenges Remain
July 15 (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. 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.
