The United Nations said on Friday that a global effort to vaccinate children who missed routine immunizations during the Covid-19 pandemic is on track to meet its ambitious target of reaching 21 million children.
The initiative—led by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance—aims to recover lost ground after the pandemic disrupted health systems worldwide and caused a resurgence of diseases such as measles and polio.
Known as the “Big Catch-Up” campaign, the program concluded in March and had already reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged one to five across 36 countries in Africa and Asia by the end of 2025. More than 100 million vaccine doses were administered, including to 12.3 million children who had never received a single dose before, and 15 million who had not previously been vaccinated against measles.
Beyond expanding coverage, the campaign has also strengthened immunization systems, helping identify older children who missed earlier doses. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the effort has helped reverse one of the pandemic’s most damaging consequences for global health.
However, officials cautioned that major challenges remain. A surge in vaccine misinformation and disinformation—particularly on social media—has eroded public confidence in some communities. At the same time, cuts in foreign aid are straining immunization programs.
Health experts warn that these factors are contributing to rising outbreaks, with measles cases reaching around 11 million globally in 2024. WHO vaccine director Kate O’Brien highlighted growing concerns over the politicization of vaccines, while Gavi chief Sania Nishtar pointed to social media algorithms that amplify misleading content.
UNICEF’s immunization head Ephrem Lemango added that reduced global health funding could undo years of progress, warning that without sustained investment and stronger communication efforts, gains made through the campaign may not last.
WHO says cuts in foreign aid, disinformation wave hampering vaccination push
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