Cuts to Aid Funding Disrupt Childhood Vaccinations Amid Rising Disease Rates

LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) – Global cuts to aid funding—led by the United States—are significantly disrupting childhood vaccination efforts, nearly matching the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations warned on Thursday.

The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, issued a joint statement highlighting the growing impact of funding shortfalls on global immunization programs. According to reports from WHO offices in 108 low and lower-middle-income countries, routine and emergency vaccinations had already been severely affected in nearly half of these regions by early April.

The funding cuts have not only diminished vaccine supplies but also impaired disease surveillance, the agencies said. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses—such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever—are on the rise globally, with measles cases climbing steadily since 2021. Meningitis saw a significant resurgence in Africa last year, while yellow fever is reemerging after a decade of decline.

“These setbacks are on par with those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “We cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against preventable diseases.”

The COVID-19 pandemic had already caused the largest decline in childhood immunizations in a generation. Now, the agencies warn that recent aid reductions—especially from the U.S., previously the world’s top donor—could cause a similar backslide.

Ahead of Gavi’s upcoming funding round in June, the organization is seeking $9 billion to support immunization efforts from 2026 to 2030. Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar emphasized that rising disease outbreaks can still be brought under control—but only if global vaccination efforts are fully funded.

In a related development, an internal U.S. government document revealed that the U.S. plans to withdraw approximately $300 million in annual contributions to Gavi, as part of broader efforts to realign foreign aid under the "America First" policy. However, last week, the U.S. State Department nominated Mark Lloyd, Assistant Administrator for Global Health, to Gavi’s board—a position that had remained vacant.

Both Gavi and the State Department declined to comment on what this appointment could mean for future U.S. funding.