Immunization and vaccine-preventable communicable diseases

WHO / Blink media - Uma Bista

While immunization is one of the most successful public health interventions, coverage has held steady since 2024, but data highlight a troubling trajectory in progress toward key targets of the global

Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

During 2025, about 85% of infants worldwide (110 million) received 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine, protecting them against infectious diseases that can cause serious illness and disability or be fatal. However, these global figures hide significant disparity among countries of different income strata, with low-income countries lagging behind.

Measles, because of its high transmissibility, acts as an early warning system, quickly exposing immunity gaps in the population. Still, nearly 21 million children missed their routine first dose of measles, far from the 2019 level of 19 million.

Vaccination

13.5 million

children missing out on any vaccination – so-called zero-dose children in 2025

HPV vaccine coverage

33%

estimated global coverage of 15 years old girls with 1 dose of HPV in 2025

BCG immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%)

Diphtheria tetanus toxoid and pertussis (DTP3) immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%)

Diphtheria tetanus toxoid and pertussis first-dose (DTP1) immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%)

Hepatitis B (HepB3) immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%)

Hib (Hib3) immunization coverage among 1-year-olds (%)

HPV immunization coverage estimates among primary target cohort (9-14 years old girls) (%)