The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have issued a stark warning that misinformation and drastic cuts in international aid are fueling a decline in childhood vaccination rates, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases.

According to a joint report released Tuesday, more than 14 million children worldwide received no vaccinations in 2024, with coverage gaps widening in Europe, Central Asia, and developing nations. In Europe and Central Asia, average childhood immunization rates stagnated or dropped by 1%, contributing to alarming disease resurgences.

WHO data reveals that whooping cough cases tripled in Europe in 2024, reaching nearly 300,000 infections, while measles cases doubled to over 125,000. The decline in vaccine uptake has been linked to misinformation campaigns and reduced health funding.

Meanwhile, nine countries—Nigeria, India, Sudan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola—account for over half of the world’s unvaccinated children, exacerbating global health disparities.

The report comes as the U.S. faces its worst measles outbreak in decades, with 1,288 cases reported in 2025—just 25 years after the disease was declared eliminated in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes the surge to declining vaccination rates.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the urgency: "Millions of children remain unprotected against deadly diseases. This should worry us all."

The UN estimates that vaccines prevent 3.5 million to 5 million deaths annually, underscoring the critical need to combat misinformation and restore funding for immunization programs.