Childhood vaccination rates are beginning to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). However, the recovery is not uniform, with larger lower-middle income countries showing stronger bouncebacks compared to smaller and poorer countries. While progress has been made, the numbers of children missing out on vaccines are still higher than pre-pandemic levels.
In 2022, approximately 20.5 million children missed out on one or more routine childhood vaccines, a decrease from 24.4 million in 2021. Nonetheless, this figure remains higher than the 2019 level of 18.4 million. The estimates are based on data from 183 countries, focusing on the uptake of the three-dose diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. The numbers encompass children who received no vaccines at all, as well as those who missed one or more doses necessary for protection.
Before the pandemic, global coverage rates were at 86 percent, which declined to 84 percent in 2022. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, acknowledged the encouraging progress but voiced concerns that the most vulnerable children were being left behind. Among the 73 countries that experienced significant declines in routine vaccination coverage during the pandemic, 34 have not shown any improvement or have even worsened. Only 15 countries have fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while 24 are on the path to recovery.
The UN agencies highlighted that measles vaccinations have not rebounded as quickly as other vaccines. In 2022, 21.9 million children globally missed their first dose of the measles vaccine, an increase of 2.7 million compared to 2019. Additionally, 13.3 million children missed their second dose. Coverage rates for measles in low-income countries continued to decline, dropping to 66 percent in 2022 from 67 percent in 2021, indicating an increase in measles outbreaks.
Dr. Kate O’Brien, the WHO’s head of immunization, emphasized the life-threatening consequences when children are not vaccinated, as they become susceptible to diseases. She expressed her concern about children dying due to low vaccine coverage. Only the rates of the HPV vaccination, which prevents cervical cancer, have fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. However, they still fall below the target of 90 percent, with 67 percent coverage in high-income countries and 55 percent in low and middle-income countries where the vaccine has been introduced.
To address the lag in childhood vaccinations caused by the pandemic, the WHO and UNICEF, along with partners such as Gavi and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched an initiative earlier this year to help countries catch up on missed vaccinations.
In conclusion, while there has been some recovery in childhood vaccination rates globally, the progress remains uneven. Larger lower-middle income countries have shown stronger bouncebacks, but smaller and poorer countries continue to face challenges. Measles vaccinations have not recovered as quickly as other vaccines, and coverage rates have even declined in some regions. The shortfall in vaccination rates poses a risk to children’s health, highlighting the importance of addressing the issue and ensuring equitable access to vaccines worldwide.
