The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have jointly published updated data on immunization coverage on 16 July 2015.

Key Messages:

In 2013, 123 countries were vaccinating their children with three doses of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis containing vaccines (DTP3). The number increased to 129 countries in 2014.

6 countries have less than 50% DTP3 coverage: Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Syrian Arab Republic.

Global coverage for DTP3 is now 86% for all three doses, with at least 91% infants receiving at least one dose.

The number of children not receiving even the first dose of DTP has reduced from 21 million in 2000 to 12 million in 2014.

India, the country with the largest number of unvaccinated children, has now achieved 80% coverage of DTP3. This has been attributed to revamping of the national immunization programme after the successful eradication of polio three years ago.

The number of children who received three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine rose from 30% in 2000 to 82% in 2014.

Useful Links:

Link to the press release:

http://www.who.int/immunization/newsroom/press/immunization_coverage_july_2015/en/

Link to the Immunization Summary (updated 2014 edition):

http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/Immunization_Summary_2013.pdf?ua=1

Link to the WHO page on immunization coverage (updated 15 July 2015):

http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/routine/coverage/en/index4.html