UN Raises Alarm Over Global Surge in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever are on the rise globally, driven by a mix of misinformation, funding cuts, and humanitarian crises, according to a joint statement from the United Nations, WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi. 

“Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But funding cuts to global health threaten to undo decades of progress.” He emphasized that the resurgence of these diseases is “putting lives at risk and increasing treatment costs for countries.” 

Measles is experiencing a particularly dangerous resurgence. Global cases have increased annually since 2021, reaching 10.3 million in 2023—a 20% jump from the previous year. The trend is expected to have continued into 2024 and 2025. Over the past year, 138 countries reported measles cases, with 61 facing large or disruptive outbreaks—the highest number recorded in any 12-month period since 2019. 

The joint statement, released at the start of World Immunization Week (April 24–30), highlights growing outbreaks of meningitis and yellow fever in Africa in 2024. These surges are unfolding against a backdrop of disinformation, rising populations, and ongoing conflicts. 

Global health organizations are also sounding the alarm over declining immunization coverage. Despite efforts to catch up on routine vaccinations post-pandemic, the number of children missing essential vaccines continues to grow. In 2023, around 14.5 million children missed all routine vaccine doses—up from 13.9 million in 2022. 

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned, “The global funding crisis is severely limiting our ability to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children in fragile and conflict-affected regions against measles.” Gavi is now seeking at least $9 billion in funding ahead of its pledging summit on June 25, with the goal of protecting 500 million children and saving at least 8 million lives between 2026 and 2030.