World Immunization Week 2025, observed from 24–30 April, brings together the global health community to highlight the lifesaving power of vaccines and call for renewed commitment to immunization for all.
Under the banner Immunization for All is Humanly Possible, this year’s campaign stresses how, with collective efforts and investment, everyone can be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Vaccines are one of the humanity’s greatest achievements. Over the last 50 years essential vaccines have saved 154 million lives. That’s 6 lives a minute, every day, for 5 decades. Vaccines account for 40% of the improvement in infant survival over the last half century, enabling more children than ever before to celebrate their first birthday.
Despite these significant gains, progress has stalled. In 2023, 14.5 million children worldwide, including nearly 3 million in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, didn’t receive any routine vaccine dose. Inequities, conflict, misinformation and funding gaps continue to undermine immunization efforts, leaving millions vulnerable.
As we reach the midpoint of the Immunization Agenda 2030, the World Immunization Week campaign is calling on governments, partners and communities to focus on the potential of immunization in the decades to come. This includes developing new vaccines and expanding coverage to protect people of all ages. But to meet the goal of universal access to lifesaving vaccines by 2030 will require substantial investments in immunization programmes.
“Millions of vulnerable children in our Region are being deprived of protection against diseases like diphtheria, polio, measles and tetanus,” says World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy. “Conflict, displacement, vaccine hesitancy and funding shortfalls are disrupting health care services. In 2024, declining vaccination rates brought polio back to Gaza for the first time in 25 years. Every child has the right to be protected, no matter who they are or where they live.”
Dr Balkhy emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling on governments to prioritize immunization investments and promote regional solidarity to close gaps. She also noted that vaccinating all children through routine and supplementary immunization efforts is crucial to stopping wild poliovirus, which remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to preventing further outbreaks of variant poliovirus.
Vaccines have saved millions of lives, but access is unequal. In 2023, more than 22 million children didn’t receive any dose of measles vaccine including 4 million children in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Millions more remain unvaccinated due to systemic health care challenges. The disparity in immunization rates, particularly between wealthy and low-income nations and in conflict zones, remains a significant barrier to global health.
Immunization programmes not only protect children. They safeguard people of all ages, from pregnant women to grandparents. Vaccines can prevent over 30 infections, including life-threatening diseases like pneumonia, flu and cervical cancer. Childhood vaccination programmes such as those for polio and measles save young lives while immunization for adults, including for influenza and pneumococcus, helps ensure people live longer and healthier.
“To remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that every individual in the Eastern Mediterranean Region has access to life-saving vaccines, the strategic framework for implementation of the Immunization Agenda 2030 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region was launched in October 2024, during the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. The framework provides a road map for achieving the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030, through a tailored approach to the specific context of each country of the Region.” Dr Balkhy stated.
By investing in immunization, governments can prevent devastating outbreaks and reduce the long-term burden on health care systems and economies. According to studies by WHO, every dollar invested in vaccines generates a return of up to US$ 44 in economic benefits.
Global health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgence of polio in conflict zones make renewed focus on immunization more urgent than ever, and the introduction of new vaccines for malaria, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) has expanded the opportunity to protect more people globally.
World Immunization Week 2025 not only raises awareness about the importance of vaccines, it highlights how everyone can take action. Individuals can ensure they and their families are vaccinated on time and share facts to help dispel misinformation. Health workers can use check-ups as an opportunity to remind caregivers about the importance of keeping children up to date with vaccinations. Communities can show their support by engaging in World Immunization Week and promoting the benefits of vaccines.
Governments play a critical role. By prioritizing investments in immunization at local and national levels, they can strengthen primary health care system and ensure that every child, regardless of where they are, has access to lifesaving vaccines. Governments are urged to invest in resilient immunization systems, especially in low-coverage areas and among zero-dose children, to ensure protection for all.
As the campaign makes clear: “We are at a critical moment in global health. To protect one of humanity’s greatest achievements, we must be relentless in reaching every child and person with vaccines – from infants to elders, from rural communities to conflict zones. Immunization for all is humanly possible, and it is within our reach if we work together.”
