Childhood vaccination rate increases slightly, but millions remain unprotected
The annual WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage reveal 90 per cent of infants worldwide received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine last year, while 85 per cent completed the recommended three-dose series. Although both figures increased by one percentage point from 2024, global vaccination coverage remains below pre-pandemic levels. Missing lifesaving vaccines An estimated 13.5 million children received no vaccines at all during their first year of life in 2025. While that marks a decline of nearly 750,000 "zero-dose" children compared with the previous year, millions remain beyond the reach of health services. At the same time, more children are beginning vaccination schedules but failing to complete them, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. “Governments and health workers have helped global vaccination rates bounce back after dropping significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But millions of vulnerable children are still being left unprotected due to conflict, displacement and poverty. We must reach every child, and we must rebuild trust where it is fraying.”
