Global childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023, leaving many without life-saving protection

That status is that global childhood immunization coverage remained stagnant throughout the year 2023, leaving 2. 7 million more children not receiving basic vaccines or under-vaccinated than in the pre-Covid year of 2019, revealed today’s WHO-UNICEF joint analysis. 
 
The published figures of WUENIC data prepared jointly by WHO and UNICEF for 2018 show that there is still a requirement of continuing outreach, recuperation, and consolidation to help the system come to terms with the new normal which is evident from the following information. 
 
The trends presented suggest that increasingly, many countries fail to reach far too many children, said the Executive Director of the organisation, Catherine Russell. The entire community should join hands in the fight to eliminate the gaps in immunization services, governments, partners and other leaders need to invest in primary health care as well as recruit and train workers on immunization for every child and improving overall health. 
 
The results for the 2023 coverage of vaccination particularly a three-dose of DTP – a marker of childhood immunization internationally – remained at 84% (108 million). But the number of children who none of the doses of the vaccine was administered to them rose to 13. Projected, it was to reach from 9 million in 2022, to 14. 5 million in 2023. 
 
Half of the children who have not taken any vaccines are in 31 countries with fragile, conflict and vulnerable area which poses a lot of threat to children since they suffer preventable diseases due to disruptions and lack of security, nutrition and health care. 
 
Additionally, 6. To ensure disease immunity in infancy and early childhood, 5 million children were not appropriately immunized; they did not receive their third dose of the DTP vaccine. 
 
Such trends, depicting that there are only slight changes in global immunization coverage since 2022, and an even worse situation with figures being still below 2019 level, indicate that today, the world still continues to face disruptions in the provision of health services, problems in vaccination supply and demand, vaccine hesitancy, and disparities in access to services. 
 
Levels of vaccination low that is already causing measles outbreaks 
The statistics also reveal that there was a lack of improvement in the vaccination coverage against the fatal measles disease, and almost 35 million children only had no or a partly protection. 
 
In 2023, children immunization coverage with the first measles vaccine dose through routine health services was 83 percent; the same increases from the previous year was reported with the second dose to 74 percent. These figures are much below the 95% coverage deemed necessary to prevent epidemics, avoid additional morbidity and mortality, and attain the goals of measles control and eradication. 
 
In the past five years, there were 103 measles outbreaks in various nations targeting children under the age of five which is three-quarters of the global population of infants. Hence, low vaccination level (less than 80%) played a significant role. On the other hand, 91 countries with high coverage of measles had no outbreaks. 
 
“Measles outbreak is the indicator that shows there are cracks that need to be filled in terms of immunization and targets the poorest in society first,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus WHO. “This is a fixable problem,” Measles vaccine is inexpensive and can be given in the most remote areas; WHO stands ready to assist relevant partners to help close these gaps and vaccinate as many high-risk children as possible. 
 
Girls’ global HPV vaccine coverage showed a sharp rise 
the new data also shed light on brighter picture concerning immunization coverage as well. The constant increase in newly-introduced and still under-utilized vaccines, such as HPV, meningitis, pneumococcal, polio and rotavirus diseases are extending the spectrum of the coverage especially in 57 developing countries assisted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. 
 
For example, the proportion of adolescent girls who had received at least one dose of HPV vaccine; this vaccine shields against cervical cancer has risen from 20 per cent in the year 2022 to 27 per cent in the year, 2023. This was mainly attributed to high introductions in tively Gavi supported countries like; Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria and so on. The following are some of the find out of this study on factors that contributed to increase vaccine coverage: The single-dose HPV vaccine schedule also played role in increased vaccine coverage. 
 
‘The HPV vaccine is one of the most effective in Gavi’s vaccines investment portfolio, and it heartening to know it is getting to more girls than ever,’ said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “While over 50 percent of the girls in the African countries are now reachable with vaccines, we still have a lot to do, but today at least we can see a ray of light towards the realistic possibility of eradicating this disease from the face of the earth. ” 
 
Still, HPV vaccine coverage is very low and does not meet the 90% population coverage to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue: only 56% of the adolescent girls in the HICs, and 23% in LMICs. 
 
A poll conducted in achieving the respondents’ engagement among over 400,000 users of a UNICEF’s digital platform for youths aged 13-24 years named the U-Report reflected that more than ¾ of them reported basic or no knowledge of what HPV is, which evidences the requirement for improved vaccine availability and awareness. When respondents were asked their willingness to take the vaccine when they were informed of the virus, its relation to cancers and that there is indeed a vaccine, only 52% said that they desired to take the HPV vaccine but cannot due to lack of funds (41%) and non-availability (34%). 
 
Strong efforts required from and for local communities in order to vaccinate the entire population of the globe. 
Although there has been a slight improvement in some areas such as the African region and low-income countries, the new predictions demonstrate the necessity to intensify the work towards achieving the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) goals, according to which 90% of the population should be immunized, and no more than 6. 5 million children who have not received their first dose of a vaccine in the first year of their lives, known as ‘zero-dose’ children, worldwide by 2030.

Due to this, the IA2030 Partnership Council urges investment commitment in innovation and sustains the cooperation. It also encourages partners to enhance support for country leadership on efforts to scale up routine immunization as one of the components of integrated primary health care through political commitment, community involvement, and sustainable financing. 
 
Thus, WUENIC based on country-reported data of the WHO and UNICEF presented an evaluation of national immunization coverage as the largest and the most representative dataset in the world reflecting the global trends in immunization for 14 diseases administered through routine health services – usually at clinics, centers, other outreach services, or through the visits of health workers. Statistical information was obtained from 185 countries for the year 2023. 
 
Regarding the immunization agenda 2030 (IA2030). 
The IA2030 is a worldwide mechanism supported by the World Health Assembly which has the vision to provide immunization and better health for all the inhabitants of the earth throughout their lifetime by the year 2030. The IDP aims at reinforcing vaccination, quality, utility, and efficacy of vaccines, simplicity, fairness and receptiveness to vaccines acquired in a pandemic and necessitates the lifetime vaccination strategies as well as the integration of the immunization services with other health services. 
 
Supporting health, the fighting against diseases and illnesses, WHO is a part of large international organization that helps people from all over the world and gives everyone equal chance to live safe and healthy life, following the principles based on science. We are the United Nations specialized agency for health and we promote health, care for the world’s most vulnerable populations, and prevent and respond to health emergencies in 150+ countries. The mission of IAEA is quite simple and clear; It is: Enhancing health, assuring safety, and protecting the vulnerable. 
 
Learn more about UNICEF UNICEF is active in more than 190 countries and territories – helping the world’s most vulnerable children. We reach every year across 190 countries/territories to ensure that every child is protected and has equal rights to survive, learn and be healthy.