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📍 Geneva, July 15, 2025 — The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have reported that more than 14 million children worldwide did not receive a single vaccine in 2024, with nine countries—including several in Africa—accounting for over half of these “zero-dose” children.
🧒 Key Findings
- 89% of infants globally received a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine
- 85% completed the full three-dose series, a modest increase from 2023
- Despite progress, 14.3 million children missed all vaccines, and nearly 20 million missed at least one dose
🌍 Countries Most Affected Among the nine countries with the highest number of zero-dose children:
- Nigeria topped the list with 2.1 million unvaccinated children
- Other African nations include Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Angola
đź’¸ Funding Crisis and Misinformation UN officials warned that drastic cuts in international aid, coupled with vaccine misinformation, are reversing decades of progress. The situation worsened after the U.S. withdrew from WHO and suspended funding to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance.
🗣️ Calls to Action WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that vaccines save millions of lives annually and urged renewed global commitment. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called for urgent action to overcome barriers such as shrinking health budgets, fragile systems, and conflict-related access constraints.
