Annual WHO-UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage reveal 90 percent of infants worldwide have received at least one dose of medicines for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTC) last year, while 85 percent 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 life-saving vaccines
A an estimated 13.5 million children will not have received any vaccines in their first year of life in 2025. Although this represents a decrease of almost 750,000 “doseless” children compared to the previous year, millions of them remain beyond the reach of health services.
At the same time, more children are starting vaccination programs but failing to complete them, increasing the risk of outbreaks.
“Governments and health workers have helped global vaccination rates rebound after falling significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“But millions of vulnerable children remain unprotected because of conflict, displacement and poverty. We must reach every child and we must rebuild trust where it erodes.”
A one-year-old boy receives the mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine from a health worker in the Philippines.
Measles epidemics continue
The report highlights growing concern over measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases.
Globally, 84 percent of children received their first dose of measles vaccine in 2025 and 77 percent received the second. well below the 95 percent coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
As a result, 57 countries reported major or disruptive measles outbreaks last year.
Conflicts and hesitations widen gaps
More than half of children who have not received any doses live in fragile or conflict-affected countries, where immunization programs are often disrupted by insecurity, political instability and underfunding.
Syria saw a sharp decline in vaccination coverage in 2025, while Sudan saw one of the biggest improvements in the world, demonstrating that vaccination rates can recover even in conflict situations when access to health services expands.
The WHO also warned that vaccination rates are falling in some middle- and high-income countries despite vaccine availability, citing vaccine hesitancy, weakening political commitment and other structural challenges.
Funding issues
WHO Director-General Tedros called vaccines one of the most effective and equitable public health interventions.
“Every child, whether born into wealth or poverty, in peace or conflict, deserves the life-saving protection that vaccines offer.“, he said.
The agencies also warned that recent cuts in international health funding could jeopardize future progress.
Fewer countries have conducted national immunization surveys in 2025, limiting the ability to identify children missing vaccines and respond quickly to emerging epidemics.
WHO and UNICEF have called on governments and international partners to strengthen vaccination programs in fragile contexts, combat misinformation, increase funding and invest in stronger disease surveillance systems to avoid further setbacks.
