Immunization Data from WHO and UNICEF

Each year UNICEF and the WHO release updated data on childhood immunization coverage. The data released in July 2024 reveals that 2.7 million more children missed out on life-saving vaccines in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. More than half of unvaccinated children live in 31 countries with fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, where children are especially vulnerable to preventable diseases because of disruptions and lack of access to security, nutrition and health services.

Additionally, the percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) – a key marker for global immunization coverage – stalled at 84 per cent, leaving 21 million children unvaccinated and vulnerable to preventable disease. Of these, 14.5 million children did not receive a single dose of DTP – an increase from 13.9 million in 2022. Furthermore, coverage of the first dose of measles-containing-vaccine stalled at 83 per cent, leaving nearly 22.2 million children unprotected against the deadly measles virus.

See a media release about the 2023 data