The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, warning that decades of progress in global immunization efforts are now at risk due to significant cuts in health funding.
According to the UN health agency, vaccines have saved approximately 150 million lives over the past 50 years, with nearly half of those lives in Africa. However, recent reductions in donor support are threatening to reverse these gains.
In Africa’s “meningitis belt,” a stretch of countries across sub-Saharan Africa, sustained vaccination campaigns had successfully eliminated meningitis A. Similarly, routine immunization and emergency vaccine stockpiles had drastically reduced cases of yellow fever and associated deaths.
“Funding cuts to global health have put these hard-won gains in jeopardy,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General, in a statement issued on Thursday to mark the beginning of World Immunization Week.
Measles cases surged in 2023, with over 10.3 million infections recorded — a 20 percent increase from the previous year. WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) project that this upward trend could continue into 2025 if urgent action is not taken.
Yellow fever, once on the decline due to improved vaccine access in Africa, is also re-emerging. Several outbreaks have already been recorded across the continent in 2025, with additional cases confirmed in parts of the Americas.
Experts attribute the setbacks to a mix of misinformation, rising population growth, humanitarian crises, and most notably, dwindling financial support for health programmes.
A recent WHO survey covering 108 countries revealed that nearly half are facing moderate to severe disruptions in vaccination efforts, including routine immunisation, outreach campaigns, and supply chains.
“The global funding crisis is severely limiting our ability to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children in fragile and conflict-affected countries against measles,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
Health experts continue to stress that immunization remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. Every $1 invested in vaccines is estimated to yield $54 in economic returns through improved health and productivity.
WHO, UNICEF, and their global partners are now calling on governments, political leaders, and the public to prioritise immunisation programmes and commit to long-term investments in public health systems.
“The world cannot afford to lose the gains we have made. Lives are at stake,” Dr. Tedros added.