Childhood vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean shows signs of recovery but still lags dangerously behind

New WHO and UNICEF data find routine immunization coverage improved in the last year, but 2 million children in the region remain at risk of life-threatening disease.

PANAMA CITY, 18 July 2023 – Immunization services in Latin America and the Caribbean reached more children in 2022 than in the previous year, yet fall significantly short of universal coverage, according to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

In the region, coverage of the third dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTP3) among children under one increased by four percentage points, from 75 per cent in 2021 to 79 per cent in 2022. However, the region’s childhood vaccination rate underperforms the global average of 84 per cent and sits well below the more than 90 per cent coverage the region previously achieved for years before starting to backslide over the last decade.

An estimated 2 million children in Latin America and the Caribbean missed out on one or more DPT doses in 2022. While around 800,000 of them have at least one vaccine dose, nearly 1.2 million of them did not receive a single dose. That’s down from 1.7 million ‘zero dose’ children in 2021. Many of these children live in the region’s poorest communities and have limited access to essential services.

“There is positive news that the number of 'zero dose' children in Latin America and the Caribbean has decreased by half a million this year. However, the concerning reality remains that approximately 2 million children in the region are still susceptible to life-threatening diseases,” said Garry Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“We must not become complacent in our efforts. Delaying the vaccination of our children only increases the likelihood of future outbreaks, putting them and our entire population at risk. It is crucial that we continue to prioritize and expedite vaccination efforts to ensure the health and safety of our children and communities.”
-Garry Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The reduction in ‘zero-dose’ children in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2022 shows that countries have stepped up vaccination efforts. However, countries must continue to strengthen and expand immunization services to recover from the region’s longstanding decline in coverage. Over the last decade, childhood vaccination plummeted across the region as growing inequalities and uneven public spending left the poorest families cut off from quality primary health care. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges and also contributed to waning vaccination confidence in some countries.

“The progress made in childhood vaccination across Latin America and the Caribbean is certainly encouraging. However, our rate of progress is not sufficient. As a region that has historically excelled in vaccination efforts and with access to unprecedented technology, resources and knowledge, we cannot afford to compromise the health of our children. It is imperative that governments, partners, health workers, parents, and caregivers join forces to ensure that every child and community is safeguarded against preventable diseases and premature mortality. Together, we must prioritize and commit to protecting the well-being and future of our children,” said Garry Conille.

To continue expanding childhood vaccination coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF reiterates its call made in April this year for governments and partners to:

• Urgently identify and vaccinate all children, especially children in the poorest households, indigenous children and afro-descendant children who have missed vaccinations.
• Prioritize funding to immunization services and primary health care.
• Build resilient health systems through investment in health workers, innovation and manufacturing of vaccine supplies in the region.
• Strengthen demand for vaccines, including by building confidence.

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Notes to Editors:

• The vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), delivered to infants in three doses, is used as the global marker for immunization coverage. See the table below for a comparison of global and regional coverage of the third dose of the DTP vaccine (DTP3) among children under one:

Source: WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage.

• Please find multimedia assets, including new photos from Brazil, here.

Media Contacts

Sendai Zea
Communication Specialist (Emergencies)
UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean
Tel: +507 6821 0843
Email: sczea@unicef.org