Amid growing concerns over resurgence of disease outbreaks, the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and global vaccine alliance GAVI, have sounded the alarm on the mounting threats to global immunisation progress.
In a joint statement released Thursday to mark World Immunisation Week (April 24–30), the agencies warned that misinformation, population surges, humanitarian crises, and deepening funding cuts were undermining decades of progress and putting millions, including children, adolescents, and adults, at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades,” said WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus. “Funding cuts to global health have put these hard-won gains in jeopardy. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing around the world, putting lives at risk and exposing countries to increased costs in treating diseases and responding to outbreaks.”
The warning came against the backdrop of a disturbing resurgence in diseases like measles, meningitis, diphtheria, and yellow fever, many of which had been significantly suppressed or eradicated in large parts of the world.
Measles, in particular, is making what experts describe as a “dangerous comeback.” Global cases jumped to 10.3 million in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022 driven by immunisation disruptions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2024 and into 2025, the trend worsened. 138 countries have reported measles outbreaks, with 61 experiencing major or highly disruptive flare-ups, the highest in any 12-month period since 2019.
Africa is also witnessing a surge in meningitis. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, over 5,500 suspected cases and nearly 300 deaths have been reported across 22 countries. This followed approximately 26,000 cases and almost 1,400 deaths in 2024.
Yellow fever came back on the rise too. Africa has seen 124 confirmed cases across 12 countries in 2024, despite prior decade-long declines thanks to successful vaccination campaigns. The Americas have also recorded 131 cases in four countries since the start of the year.
The resurgence of these deadly diseases was closely linked to financial constraints affecting health systems. According to a rapid stocktake by WHO, nearly half of 108 country offices, mainly in low- and lower-middle-income countries are grappling with moderate to severe disruptions to vaccination campaigns, immunisation access, and supplies due to dwindling donor support.
“Immunisation services, disease surveillance, and outbreak response in nearly 50 countries are already being disrupted with setbacks at a similar level to what we saw during COVID-19,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell. “The global funding crisis is severely limiting our ability to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children in fragile and conflict-affected countries against measles. We cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against preventable diseases.”
WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi stressed that despite the setbacks, immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. Vaccines currently save around 4.2 million lives annually, with nearly half of those saved in the African Region.
“Increasing outbreaks of highly infectious diseases are a concern for the whole world,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi. “The good news is we can fight back, and Gavi’s next strategic period has a clear plan to bolster our defences by expanding investments in global vaccine stockpiles and rolling out targeted preventive vaccination in countries most impacted by meningitis, yellow fever, and measles.”
However, she warned that the mission hinged on global financial backing: “These vital activities will be at risk if Gavi is not fully funded for the next five years.”
To support this goal, Gavi is convening a high-level pledging summit on June 25, 2025, seeking to raise at least $9 billion from donors. The funding will power an ambitious plan to immunise 500 million children and save at least 8 million lives between 2026 and 2030.
As the world confronts the threat of reversing decades of health progress, the agencies were calling on governments, donors, civil society, and communities to recommit to the Immunisation Agenda 2030 and safeguard one of the greatest achievements in global health.
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