Childhood vaccination coverage in Europe and Central Asia has continued to decline, according to new figures released by the World Health Organization and Unicef. The drop puts millions of children at greater risk of preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough.
Data show that the region’s average vaccination rate remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, nearly one-third of countries in the area recorded childhood immunisation coverage below 90 percent.
Herd immunity typically requires a vaccination rate of at least 95 percent to prevent outbreaks. Most countries in the region have failed to meet that threshold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Last year, nearly 300,000 people in our region contracted whooping cough. That’s more than triple the number recorded the year before,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Measles also surged, with 125,000 cases reported, double the figure from 2023.”
The agencies noted that average coverage has dropped by a few percentage points since 2019. The fall is attributed to a mix of factors, including disrupted health services, misinformation, and public hesitancy during and after the pandemic.
WHO and Unicef are urging governments to strengthen immunisation systems and public health messaging to restore vaccination levels and prevent further outbreaks.
HT
