Global Initiative to Expand Childhood Vaccination Efforts Post-Pandemic
Overview
The Big Catch-Up campaign has delivered over 100 million vaccinations across 36 countries, targeting children under 5 years old. Notably, 12.3 million previously unvaccinated 'zero dose' children have received vaccines, with the program on track to meet its goal of vaccinating 21 million children.
Background
The Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted routine immunization programs worldwide, particularly in developing countries. In response, a multiyear international campaign was launched in 2023 by WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF to restore and expand vaccination coverage. Historically, many countries monitored vaccination only up to age 2, leaving older unvaccinated children untracked. This campaign extends monitoring to age 5, aiming to identify and vaccinate missed children.
Data Highlights
Metric
Value
Total vaccinations delivered
100 million+
Countries involved
36
Children vaccinated under age 5
18.3 million (to date)
Target children to vaccinate
21 million
Zero dose children vaccinated
12.3 million
Key Findings
The Big Catch-Up campaign has delivered over 100 million vaccinations across 36 countries.
At least 18.3 million children under 5 have been vaccinated so far, nearing the goal of 21 million.
12.3 million zero dose children—those who had never received any vaccine—were reached.
Vaccination monitoring now extends to children up to age 5, improving identification of missed children.
The campaign began in 2023 and is a collaborative effort by WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF.
Clinical Implications
Extending vaccination monitoring to age 5 allows healthcare providers to identify and vaccinate children missed in early infancy, reducing vulnerability to preventable diseases. The success of the Big Catch-Up campaign demonstrates the feasibility and impact of large-scale immunization efforts in resource-limited settings. Continued support and surveillance are essential to sustain and build upon these gains.
Conclusion
The Big Catch-Up campaign represents a significant step toward restoring childhood immunization coverage disrupted by the pandemic, particularly by reaching previously unvaccinated children. Ongoing efforts to monitor and vaccinate children up to age 5 will be critical to closing immunity gaps globally.
References
Helen Branswell/STAT/2024 -- International childhood vaccine campaign grows
