Health

Report: Over 14M Children Received No Vaccines In 2024

Published JUL 15 2025

Story

Above: A health care provider is placing a bandage on the injection site of a child who has just received a seasonal influenza vaccine. Image credit: Unsplash

The Facts

Approximately 14.3 million children worldwide received no vaccines in 2024, while 89% of infants globally received at least one dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine — 171,000 more children vaccinated than in 2023.
WHO
The Associated Press
According to new data released by the World Health Organization on Tuesday, nine countries accounted for 52% of all unvaccinated children globally: Nigeria, India, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Angola.
CNN
The Associated Press
Health Policy Watch News
Measles vaccination coverage improved slightly to 84% for first doses globally; however, 60 countries reported large measles outbreaks in 2024, with Europe experiencing 125,000 cases — twice the number reported in 2023.
CNN
Unicef
The Associated Press
The Americas saw 1.465 million zero-dose children in 2024, an increase of 186,000 from the previous year, despite improvements in HPV vaccine coverage reaching 76% — the highest globally.
Reuters
PAHO
Vaccination rates in Europe and Central Asia remained below pre-pandemic levels, with coverage declining from 95% to 93% for DTP vaccines between 2019 and 2024, and more than half of regional countries failed to meet their herd immunity targets.
ReliefWeb
Unicef
The U.K. ranked worst among G7 nations for MMR vaccination, with 89% coverage compared to Germany's 96%, while HPV vaccine coverage globally increased to 31% of eligible girls, up from 17% in 2019.
WHO
Guardian
Independent

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Vaccination programs face unprecedented challenges, including funding cuts and misinformation campaigns, that threaten decades of progress. The Trump administration's withdrawal from the WHO and cuts to international aid programs demonstrate how political decisions directly endanger children's lives worldwide.

CNN

The Associated Press

The New York Times

Narrative B

Global vaccination efforts demonstrate resilience, with one million more children completing their full vaccine series in 2024, underscoring the effectiveness of coordinated international health programs. Countries supported by Gavi reduced the number of unvaccinated children by 650,000, highlighting the success of multilateral health initiatives.