Outbreaks Threaten Progress Against Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Measles and other diseases are on the rise, straining health systems and putting lives at risk. A call to action to invest in immunization as funding cuts jeopardize hard-won global gains.
UNICEF, WHO, Gavi: Sustained investment in immunization needed to protect children and their futures
Immunization has saved an estimated 150 million lives since 1974 — six lives every minute. Vaccination accounts for 40 percent of the improvement in infant survival rates. It is one of the best buys in health, with a return on investment of $54 for every $1 invested.
And when vaccination is made part of an integrated primary health care system, families are connected to other essential services, from antenatal care to nutrition and malaria screenings.
Yet immunization efforts are under growing threat. Coverage gaps persist.
Misinformation, population growth, humanitarian crises and funding cuts are jeopardizing progress against vaccine-preventable diseases, leaving millions of children, adolescents and adults at risk, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, warned in a joint statement issued on April 24, 2025, the first day of World Immunization Week.
The statement included a call to action for parents, the public and politicians to strengthen support for immunization, and for countries to honor their commitments to the Immunization Agenda 2030 through sustained investments in routine immunization programs and catch-up campaigns.
“The global funding crisis is severely limiting our ability to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children in fragile and conflict-affected countries against measles,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Immunization services, disease surveillance and outbreak responses in nearly 50 countries are already being disrupted — with setbacks at a similar level to what we saw during COVID-19. We cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against preventable diseases.”
Related: Vaccines Save Lives
Dozens of countries reporting disruptions in immunization services due to reduced donor funding
There were 10.3 million measles cases in 2023 — up 20 percent compared to 2022 — and the upward trend has likely continued in 2024 and into 2025, the agencies reported, with 138 countries reporting measles cases in the past 12 months.
Outbreaks of meningitis and yellow fever are also rising globally. Diseases like diphtheria, which have long been held at bay or have virtually disappeared in many countries, are at risk of re-emerging.
These outbreaks are coinciding with global funding cuts. Nearly half of WHO's 108 country offices, most of them in low- and lower-middle-income countries, recently reported moderate to severe disruptions to vaccination campaigns, routine immunization and supply access due to reduced donor funding. Surveillance activities are also affected.
At the same time, more children are missing out on routine vaccinations, despite catch-up efforts following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, an estimated 14.5 million children missed all of their routine vaccine doses, up from 13.9 million in 2022 and 12.9 million in 2019.
Over half of these children live in fragile settings, including countries facing conflict or instability — environments where access to basic health services is often disrupted.
Related: Americans Who Never Forget: Life Without Vaccines
How UNICEF and partners help expand access to vaccines, strengthen immunization programs worldwide
UNICEF's joint efforts with partners have helped countries expand access to vaccines and strengthen immunization systems through primary health care, despite the mounting challenges.
Related: Delivering Measles Vaccines on Horseback in Kyrgyzstan
As the world's largest single vaccine buyer, UNICEF procures more than 2 billion doses of vaccines annually for routine immunization campaigns and outbreak response — supplying enough vaccines each year to vaccinate 45 percent of the world's children under age 5.
And there have been some recent wins:
- Vaccination campaigns have led to the elimination of meningitis A in Africa’s meningitis belt, while a new vaccine that protects against five strains of meningitis holds promise for broader protection.
- Before yellow fever cases started climbing, there had been dramatic declines in the disease over the past decade, thanks to global vaccine stockpiles and the use of yellow fever vaccines in routine immunization programs.
- In Africa, a region with the highest cervical cancer burden in the world, HPV vaccine coverage nearly doubled between 2020 and 2023, from 21 percent to 40 percent, reflecting concerted efforts toward eliminating cervical cancer.
Related: HPV Vaccination Campaign Protects Girls in Nigeria
- The introduction of malaria vaccines in nearly 20 African countries marks an important milestone in the fight against malaria.
- Global coverage of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which protect against pneumonia and other bacterial infections, has increased, particularly in Southeast Asia.
“Increasing outbreaks of highly infectious diseases are a concern for the whole world," said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. "The good news is, we can fight back."
Increasing outbreaks of highly infectious diseases are a concern for the whole world. The good news is, we can fight back. — Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi's plan — with UNICEF as a key partner — is committed to expanding its investments in global vaccine stockpiles and rolling out targeted preventive vaccination in countries most impacted by meningitis, yellow fever and measles. Targets for 2026 to 2030 are to reach 500 million children with vaccine protection, saving at least 8 million lives. But lack of funding could undermine these efforts, Nishtar noted.
A high-level pledging summit on June 25, 2025 seeks to raise at least $9 billion from donors.
Related: Every Child Protected Against Deadly Diseases
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
