The World Health Organization (WHO) has said Africa’s vaccination progress is slowing, noting that millions of children across the region including in Nigeria still lack access to vaccines.

In a briefing on Wednesday ahead of African Vaccination Week, the agency released what it described as its most comprehensive review yet on immunisation, malaria control, vaccination, and polio eradication.

The agency’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohammed Janabi, said momentum on vaccination is slowing, leaving “too many children across the region unprotected.”

The agency said the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of zero-dose children who have not received even a single routine vaccine with 10 countries in Africa accounting for 80 percent of the burden.

The Director, Disease Prevention and Control, Dr Benido Impouma, said at the briefing that it was unacceptable in the 21st century for children to remain beyond the reach of basic vaccines because of weak health systems and poor access.

“It is not acceptable in the 21st century to have children who are not able to receive even the basic vaccines. It’s not just an issue around vaccine access but around health systems,” he said.

Speaking on progress, Mr Janabi said the review aligned with Immunisation Agenda 2030, showing  that since 2000, nearly 20 million measles related deaths had been prevented, while more than 500 million African children have been protected through routine immunisation. 

“In 2024 alone 1.9 million lives were saved and malaria vaccines are now being introduced in 25 of our member state countries,” he said.

Mr Impouma said the organisation was working closely with the Nigerian government on the rollout of malaria vaccines, including health worker training, community support, and data tracking to identify states making progress and those lagging behind.

He said evidence gathered over the past 27 months from countries where the malaria vaccine had been deployed shows a reduction in severe malaria cases and a 13 per cent drop among eligible children.

The briefing also highlighted progress in the fight against polio, with officials noting that polio cases in Africa dropped by 50 per cent in 2025, although the region continues to battle outbreaks despite being free of wild poliovirus. 

Also, WHO Somalia Coordinator for Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Surveillance, Dr Gedi Mohamed, said countries such as Ghana remain vulnerable because of frequent population movement from affected neighbouring countries, noting the need for tighter cross-border coordination.

Beyond vaccines, WHO officials raised concerns over stillbirth.

Mr Janabi said a baby is stillborn every 30 seconds in Africa, amounting to nearly one million losses every year, with up to 70 percent of those deaths being preventable.

He said nearly half of the deaths happen during labour inside health facilities.

“We must end the silence around stillbirth,” he said. 

On disease outbreaks, WHO reported that cholera outbreaks had declined from 23 to 14 countries, while active outbreaks dropped from eight to four, warning that poor access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene continues to encourage recurring outbreaks. 

In Burundi, a yet to be identified illness is being investigated after 35 cases were reported in the north of the country, with WHO saying the transfer of samples to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo for further testing had been made.

The WHO’s Director for Health Emergencies, Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, said Africa’s health systems had shown resilience despite funding issues, pointing to the successful control of Ebola in DR Congo and Marburg in Ethiopia through the country’s surge teams.

She also said from COVID-19, efforts to improve oxygen supply systems had increased especially in smaller countries lacking oxygen plants during the pandemic.

The WHO’s Director for Health Systems and Services, Dr Adelheid Onyango, said Africa currently produces only about one per cent of the vaccines it needs.

Countries including Kenya are moving to manufacture domestic vaccines to reduce cost  on importation.

Speaking on Nigeria’s typhoid problem, Mr Impouma said the disease remains a major health issue in the region and would be discussed at the upcoming meeting of African health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in August.

The agency noted that the African led briefings would be held monthly, reporting on crisis and solutions.