13.5 Million Children Worldwide Still Unvaccinated

Global childhood immunisation coverage began showing a positive trend in 2026, though millions of children remain unprotected from deadly diseases such as measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). A recent report indicates that in 2025, approximately 90% of the world’s infants, or 116 million children, received the first dose of the DTP vaccine, while 85%, or 110 million children, completed the full three-dose series. Despite these increases, coverage has not yet fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. WHO highlighted that 13.5 million children are still classified as ‘zero-dose’, having received no routine vaccinations in their first year of life, making them the most vulnerable to preventable infectious diseases. The majority of these unvaccinated children live in conflict zones, areas experiencing humanitarian crises, or countries with fragile health systems. Beyond access, vaccine hesitancy and limited funding for immunisation programmes remain significant obstacles. The gap in vaccination coverage has raised concerns about potential disease outbreaks. WHO noted that global coverage for the first dose of the measles vaccine stands at only 84%, far below the 95% threshold required to achieve herd immunity. Without reaching this target, the risk of measles surges remains high in many countries. UNICEF and WHO stressed that current progress is insufficient to meet the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030, emphasising the need for sustained investment in primary healthcare services and expanded access to remote areas. Strengthening public education is also a priority to reduce vaccine refusal. Ensuring every child is vaccinated on schedule can prevent millions of deaths and maintain global public health stability through community immunity.