New Delhi, July 15: Global childhood immunisation levels stalled in 2023, with a whopping 14.5 million kids missing out on the essential three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine, according to a new report by the UN organisations on Monday. The report by the WHO and UNICEF provides estimates of national immunisation coverage (WUENIC) for vaccinations against 14 diseases.
It showed that 84 per cent (108 million) children received three doses of the vaccine against DTP in 2023. However, 14.5 million did not receive a single dose of the vaccine an increase from 13.
9 million in 2022. In addition, 6.5 million children did not complete their third dose of the DTP vaccine, the key to achieving disease protection in infancy and early childhood.
“The latest trends demonstrate that many countries continue to miss far too many children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, in the report. Further, the report showed that vaccination rates against the deadly measles disease stalled. About 35 million children did not receive the vaccine or only had partial protection.
Only 83 per cent of children worldwide received their first dose of the measles vaccine through routine health services in 2023. However, the number of children receiving their second dose modestly increased from 2022, reaching 74 per cent of children. The report also blamed the low vaccination rate against measles for driving outbreaks in about 103 countries in the l.