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.
