The findings emerge from the first detailed analysis of immunization targets in Africa, published on Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
It also documents progress and challenges in expanding immunization coverage against a wide range of vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as ongoing efforts to achieve the goals of a global strategy known as the Immunization Agenda 2030.
Measles deaths halve
The analysis covers the years between 2000 and 2024, which saw increased vaccination coverage in Africa when 44 countries introduced a second dose of measles-containing vaccine into their routine programs.
Coverage rates increased from five percent to 55 percent during this period. while complementary inoculation campaigns provided 622 million vaccines.
Together, These efforts have reduced measles deaths in the African region by half. and caused a 40 percent drop in the total number of cases.
Additionally, nine countries reported consistently low measles incidence rates in 2023 and 2024, while Cape Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles were confirmed to have eliminated measles and rubella by 2025. – the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to reach this milestone.
Remarkable but uneven progress
“Africa has made remarkable progress in less than a generation, scaling up immunization and saving millions of young lives,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director.
“But progress is uneven, and even slowing, leaving too many children unprotected as key targets have not yet been met. We must urgently strengthen routine immunization so that no child is left behind.”
Routine regimens currently protect against 13 vaccine-preventable diseases, compared to eight in 2000.
Since then, Deaths from meningitis have decreased by almost 40 percent.The malaria vaccine has been introduced in 25 countries, and At least 1.9 million lives were saved thanks to vaccination in 2024 alone— about 42 percent due to measles vaccination.
'More work to do'
The 2030 agenda envisions a world in which all people fully benefit from vaccines. It aims to achieve 90 percent coverage at four key stages of life to protect against diphtheria, whooping cough, measles and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Despite the progress achieved to date, Africa still far from reaching 90 percent target as vaccination coverage is uneven and many children are still not included.
WHO and Gavi call for continued investment and strong political commitment to sustain progress and protect future generations.
They are also working with governments to expand vaccination coverage, including to accelerate and expand the introduction of new vaccines such as those against malaria and HPV.
The new analysis “demonstrates the immense power of vaccines to save lives when immunization is prioritized as a matter of policy,” said Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi.
“At the same time, We must recognize that these immunization results reflect very different realities and we have more work to do. to ensure that we can consistently reach children, even in the most fragile and remote contexts,” he added.
