The latest show that while there has been some progress made in reaching every child with life-saving vaccines, we still have a lot of ground to cover to meet ambitious (IA2030) targets in the next five years.
Global immunization coverage has remained relatively steady, with 85% of infants around the world receiving three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccines in 2024. This is just a 1% increase from 2023 but represents an additional 1 million children that are fully protected against these serious illnesses.
We are also seeing small improvements in measles vaccination coverage, with 84% of children globally receiving a first dose and 76% receiving a second dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV). Still, more than 30 million children are missing at least one dose of MCV, global coverage is well below the 95% target for outbreak prevention, and national-level estimates do not reflect highly varied subnational coverage in some countries. As a result, the number of countries experiencing large measles outbreaks has nearly doubled in 2 years, increasing from 33 countries in 2022 to 60 countries in 2024, and more than two-thirds of infants live in countries that have had measles outbreaks in the past 5 years.
We must learn how to do more with less through new partnerships and funding mechanisms, innovative and targeted immunization strategies, and focused and impactful advocacy.
– Dr. William Moss
Promisingly, global human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has significantly increased, with 31% of adolescent girls receiving at least one dose in 2024. This coverage has continued to rise in recent years, thanks in part to increasing numbers of in Gavi-supported countries and the option for a one-dose schedule, though is still significantly behind the .
The number of zero-dose children—defined as those who have never received a single dose of DTP vaccine—slightly decreased, from 14.5 million children in 2023 to 14.3 million children in 2024. Although this is a step in the right direction, we are still far from established goals; the number of zero-dose children remains 4 million higher than the set for 2024. Inequities persist, with a disproportionate number of un- and under-vaccinated : 1 in 4 infants live in fragile or conflict-affected countries, but these countries account for half of all zero-dose children.
So where do we go from here? Now that global immunization coverage has remained steady for the past few years, it may be tempting to assume that we are on the right track and continue business as usual. However, to successfully reach coverage targets and protect children around the globe, we must continue to work to strengthen immunization programs, particularly in conflict-affected or fragile settings. Innovative, focused efforts are needed to reach all children and to increase vaccine uptake among our most vulnerable. The ongoing measles outbreaks in the U.S. and abroad demonstrate what can happen when childhood vaccination is weakened, and we must act now to stop future outbreaks in their tracks.
“Given the withdrawal of U.S. government support for global public health, and vaccination specifically, maintaining even the small gains made in 2024 will be challenging,” says IVAC Executive Director William Moss. “We must learn how to do more with less through new partnerships and funding mechanisms, innovative and targeted immunization strategies, and focused and impactful advocacy. Together, I believe we are up to the challenge to ensure the life-saving potential of vaccines.”
