• UN reports cuts to global aid funding disrupt child vaccinations, risking resurgence of diseases.
• Rising measles, meningitis, and yellow fever cases threaten progress made in immunization.
• Health officials call for urgent investment in immunization programs amid rising disease threats.

The United Nations has raised alarms about severe disruptions in child vaccination efforts, attributing these issues largely to global aid funding cuts, especially from the United States. The cuts have impacted emergency and routine vaccinations significantly, jeopardizing the immunization process in nearly half of the countries surveyed, according to reports from WHO offices. This situation is now prompting concerns that disease outbreaks could rise to levels comparable to those witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically citing diseases like measles and meningitis as areas of concern, according to Reuters.

As WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi marked World Immunization Week, they highlighted alarming trends in vaccine-preventable diseases. Specifically, measles cases in 2023 surged to an estimated 10.3 million, marking a 20 percent increase from the previous year. Health officials are warning that this trend could continue into 2025 if immediate action is not taken. "More than half of the children missing routine vaccinations are located in countries where conflict and instability persist," noted health agencies emphasizing the dire need for sustained investments in immunization programs, according to Africanews and AllAfrica.

The rise in outbreaks extends beyond measles, with yellow fever and meningitis also returning in various regions. In Africa, particularly within the "meningitis belt," vaccination campaigns had previously succeeded in controlling meningitis A, but these gains are now jeopardized by funding instability. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has warned, "Funding cuts to global health have put these hard-won gains in jeopardy," emphasizing the gravity of the situation and calling for renewed financial commitments, as highlighted by sources including Reuters and AllAfrica.

Global health leaders stress that vaccines remain one of the most effective health interventions, saving approximately 4.2 million lives annually. However, the current funding landscape poses risks to this essential health measure, with an estimated return of $54 for every dollar invested in vaccination programs. The urgency of addressing these funding issues cannot be overstated, as the continued rise in cases of historically controlled diseases indicates a looming health crisis, according to both Africanews and AllAfrica.