NEW DELHI, July 17: More than 14 million children did not receive a single dose of vaccination last year—about the same as the year before—according to U.N. Health officials. Nine Countries accounted for more than half of those unprotected children.
According to the latest data reported by the World Health Organization and UNICEF on global vaccine coverage, about 89% of children under one year got a first dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine in 2024, the same as in 2023. About 85% completed the three-dose series, up from 84% in 2023.
Due to a variety of reasons, including restricted access to immunisation services, interrupted supply, conflict and instability, or false information regarding vaccines, children frequently continue to be unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. A child died of measles in a Liverpool hospital last week, while the United States is currently experiencing its worst measles outbreak in over thirty years.
India Stands second after Nigeria. According to the recent report, India still has the second-highest rate of unvaccinated children worldwide, despite advancements in the healthcare sector over the past few decades. According to the study, India has 14.4 lakh children with “zero dose.” The statistics also suggested that nine countries, including Ethiopia, Nigeria, India, and a few other Asian and African nations, were home to “half of the world’s unvaccinated children.”
(Subham Singh)