The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have released the 2023 WUENIC (WHO and UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage) data, providing a comprehensive overview of global immunisation trends. This annual snapshot, developed from country-reported data and surveys, covers vaccination coverage against 13 diseases across 195 countries, including the 57 lower-income countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, commented on the 2023 WUENIC data, highlighting the state of immunisation in Gavi-implementing countries:
“This year’s data reveal a complex picture on the state of global immunisation, with global coverage remaining steady. However, Gavi-implementing countries have vaccinated a near-record number of children to accommodate growing birth cohorts.
The data also reveal significant variations across Gavi-implementing countries, with improvements in 22 countries offset by sizeable declines in a smaller number of countries. It is particularly welcoming to see countries in Africa buck the global trend by reporting an increase in coverage despite growing birth cohorts and to see low-income countries maintain steady levels of coverage, even as their health systems have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
Gavi-implementing countries are immunising children against more diseases than ever before, with average coverage of the ten vaccines Gavi supports rising by three percentage points, representing a 12-percentage point increase on pre-pandemic levels. We also saw the biggest-ever increase in HPV vaccinations following the revitalisation of the HPV vaccine programme.
This year’s WUENIC data also shine a light on areas of concern. With 11 million zero-dose children in Gavi-implementing countries, we must work harder to reach these and under-immunised children. This will include further developing innovative approaches to reach communities in fragile and conflict-affected countries where so many of these children live.
As Gavi looks ahead to an important replenishment year, we take heart that our alliance remains on track to meet many of its targets, including the number of children immunised and the breadth of protection they receive through vaccinations. We also remain committed to finding new and innovative ways to help countries overcome their immunisation challenges to ensure no child is left behind.”
