As Nigeria joins other African nations in observing African Vaccination Week 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over persistently low vaccination rates across the continent. According to WHO one out of every five children in Africa remains under-vaccinated. In a statement marking the annual event celebrated from April 24 to 30 alongside World Immunization Week Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO’s Acting Regional Director for Africa, called on African leaders to step up their commitment to improving vaccine access.
“Vaccination is not just a highly effective public health tool; it is a basic human right, a shared duty, and a crucial investment in our collective future,” Ihekweazu stated.
Over the past five decades, vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives, slashed infant mortality by 40%, and shielded populations from over 30 life-threatening diseases. Despite these achievements, millions of African children still lack access to routine immunizations.
In 2023 alone, 6.7 million children across Africa received no vaccines at all, classifying them as “zero-dose” children. The continent continues to face challenges such as measles outbreaks and the ongoing risk of vaccine-derived poliovirus.
The theme for African Vaccination Week 2025, “Immunization for all is humanly possible,” urges governments, partners, and health systems to reach every child, rebuild routine immunization services disrupted by COVID-19, and reinforce health infrastructure.
This year also marks the halfway point in the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), which aims to achieve equitable access to vaccines worldwide by the end of the decade. WHO is calling for renewed momentum to close immunity gaps and improve coverage.
The organization emphasized ongoing collaborations with countries to locate and vaccinate zero-dose children, integrate vaccines into primary health care systems, and build more robust and resilient health services.
Progress has been made in combating vaccine-derived polio. Between 2023 and 2024, the African region saw a 93% decrease in circulating variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) cases and a 65% drop in cVDPV2 cases. WHO remains optimistic that eradication is within reach, particularly in high-risk areas like the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa.
In February 2025, WHO and partners including the African Union Commission, Sierra Leone’s government, Africa CDC, Gavi, and UNICEF hosted a high-level meeting to assess progress since the 2017 Addis Declaration on Immunization. While increased political support and system upgrades were noted, challenges such as financing gaps, inequity, and weak data systems persist.
The meeting concluded with a strong appeal to embed immunization as a central priority in all African health and development strategies. WHO reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring every child regardless of location has access to lifesaving vaccines, underscoring immunization’s role as a cornerstone of public health and a vital defense against preventable diseases.
