WHO Immunization Director's Message, Nov/Dec 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, we look back on a year defined by scientific progress, strong commitment, and collective determination in the face of global uncertainty. Immunization remains one of the most effective public-health interventions we have, preventing disease and protecting millions of people from serious disease and death, every year, and 2025 is no different. This past year reminded us not only of what vaccines can achieve, but of how essential our shared efforts are to ensuring those benefits reach every child, every adolescent, every adult, everywhere.

Despite complex geopolitical pressures, health system strains, and growing vaccine misinformation, the immunization community advanced on several critical fronts. These achievements show us all what is possible when evidence, partnership and purpose come together.

Measles deaths down 88% since 2000

This year's WHO measles report underscored the enormous impact of immunization, with global measles deaths reduced by 88% since 2000. At the same time, surges in large and disruptive outbreaks across several regions highlighted persistent immunity gaps, including at the subnational level in countries with high national coverage, and the importance of sustained surveillance, outbreak response and catch-up vaccination. In November, these challenges led to the Americas losing hard-won measles elimination verification, for the second time, following re-establishment of endemic measles transmission in Canada. In the coming months, the US and Mexico will also be facing the 12-month timeline for ending measles endemic transmission which will determine their national measles elimination and both countries are working hard to shut down ongoing outbreaks.

Even with these challenges, advances are being made toward measles elimination: 96 countries have now eliminated endemic measles, including the Pacific island countries and just this month, Cabo Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles became the first countries in the WHO African Region to achieve verification. These milestones demonstrate what strong political commitment, high measles vaccine coverage and resilient surveillance systems can achieve.

Malaria vaccination reaches new scale

The rollout of malaria vaccines continued at high pace in 2025. Today, 24 countries in Africa are offering malaria vaccines as part of childhood immunization programmes and national malaria control plans. More than 10 million children are now targeted annually, however, most countries are implementing below their national scale-up target due to limited funding. Recently, both malaria vaccine manufacturers announced future price reductions for malaria vaccine doses, which will be a critical step for improved affordability when these prices kick in.

WHO's World Malaria Report 2025 highlighted that progress against malaria faces considerable challenges, including drug and insecticide resistance. Increasing access to life-saving malaria vaccines for children is key intervention that adds immunologic protection to case management, vector control and chemoprevention as four complementary approaches to addressing the unacceptably high malaria burden that children, families and countries are facing, and brings us closer to our vision for a healthier future for all.

Advancing access to new tuberculosis vaccines

In November, WHO released a milestone report laying out the case for bold, coordinated action to ensure financing and equitable access to what are hoped to be the first new TB vaccines in more than 100 years. The report sets out the pathways needed to accelerate innovative financing instruments and actions to enable access to these novel vaccines, which are in advanced clinical trials, bringing the world closer to reducing the heavy global burden of tuberculosis.

Meningitis: a milestone year in global efforts

2025 marked major progress in the fight against meningitis. WHO released its first global guidelines for meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care — a significant step toward faster detection, better clinical management and stronger support for those affected. Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the Defeating Meningitis by 2030 roadmap, and a recent partner meeting helped align priorities and reinforce multisectoral collaboration.

Momentum is also building toward a Group B Streptococcus vaccine, a potential breakthrough for protecting mothers and newborns. With new guidelines, strengthened surveillance and advancing vaccines, countries are now better positioned to reduce meningitis cases, deaths and long-term disabilities.

25 years polio-free in the Western Pacific

This year, the WHO Western Pacific Region marked 25 years without indigenous wild poliovirus . Countries reaffirmed their commitment to global eradication, highlighting the importance of strong routine immunization, high-quality surveillance, and rapid response capacity to maintain and build on this achievement.

Yellow fever: strengthening protection in high-risk regions

In 2025, yellow fever outbreaks in Africa and a resurgence in the Americas prompted the International Coordinating Group to maintain a global emergency stockpile of 6 million doses. Four countries received 2.8 million doses for rapid response, with campaigns successfully reaching displaced, mobile and other high-risk populations despite operational challenges.

Preventive vaccination also expanded, with over 38 million people protected through mass campaigns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Uganda. Additional campaigns are planned, and efforts are ongoing to introduce and scale up routine yellow fever vaccination in the remaining countries yet to do so.

HPV vaccination: accelerating progress toward cervical cancer elimination

Momentum toward cervical cancer elimination continued to build in 2025. This year marked a major milestone, as the ambitious goal to reach 86 million girls with HPV vaccines in Gavi countries by the end of 2025 has been achieved, with formal confirmation to come in July with the release of the 2025 WUENIC numbers . Around the world, more countries are integrating HPV vaccination into routine immunization programmes, strengthening delivery platforms, and engaging communities to raise awareness and demand. These efforts bring us closer to the vision of a world where cervical cancer is eliminated as a public health problem — protecting the health and future of millions of women and girls.

IA2030 mid-term review: a call for renewed ambition

The Immunization Agenda 2030 Mid-Term Review reaffirmed that the goals and strategies remain highly relevant and sound for the 2nd half of the strategy period. It also confirmed meaningful immunization programme recovery since the pandemic but also revealed significant inequities across countries and subnationally. An estimated 14 million infants in 2024 received not even a single dose of vaccine (i.e. zero dose children), and coverage gains in many countries remain fragile. Progress in new vaccine introduction continues, but financial pressures on country programmes threaten momentum. The review calls for intensified efforts to strengthen immunization within primary health care, close immunity gaps for critical diseases through vaccination, and deliver on IA2030's promise of equitable access for all. The report makes bold recommendations about shifts in the IA2030 areas of focus, structures and ways of working to further enhance strategic impact. The review and its recommendations will be presen