UN warns vaccine-preventable diseases on rise

Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever are on the rise globally amid misinformation and cuts to international aid, the United Nations and the Gavi vaccine alliance has warned.

"Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades," World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "Funding cuts to global health have put these hard-won gains in jeopardy."

Tedros added that the increasing outbreaks around the world are "putting lives at risk and exposing countries to increased costs in treating diseases."

Measles, for example, is making an "especially dangerous comeback," with cases rising every year since 2021 and reaching an estimated 10.3 million in 2023, which is a 20 percent increase since 2022.

The organizations believe that the trend is likely to have continued into 2024 and 2025.

In the past 12 months, 138 countries have reported measles cases, with 61 experiencing large or disruptive outbreaks, the highest number observed in any 12-month period since 2019, according to the statement.

The joint statement was signed by the WHO, the United Nations children's fund UNICEF, and Gavi, and was released on April 23 at the start of World Immunization Week, which runs until April 30.

Cases of meningitis and yellow fever have also increased significantly in Africa in 2024, it said.

The spikes are taking place amid rising misinformation, population growth and humanitarian crises.

Meanwhile, funding cuts jeopardize progress and leave millions of children and adults at risk, the groups said.

In 2023, an estimated 14.5 million children missed all of their routine vaccine doses, up from 13.9 million in 2022.

In this context, Gavi is calling for at least $9 billion in funding ahead of its June 25 pledging summit "to protect 500 million children, saving at least 8 million lives from 2026-2030."