WHO warns of outbreaks in Western Pacific due to gaps in vaccine programs
By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Nearly 1.7 million babies—or about one in every 11—born in the Western Pacific missed the first routine vaccine dose in 2025, the World Health Organization said, warning of the risks of otherwise eliminated diseases resurging in the region.
WHO noted that coverage with three doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis declined from 94 percent in 2019 to 89 percent in 2025.
“Behind every outbreak is a gap: a missed child, delayed action, weakened trust, or communities not reached through regular vaccination programs,” said Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.
Health leaders noted that measles is one of the most contagious diseases that expose weaknesses in immunization systems.
“In an interconnected region, an immunity gap in one place can become a risk elsewhere,” WHO said.
WHO reported last year that the measles cases in the Western Pacific rose by 743 percent from 2022 to 2024. Imported measles cases linked to international travel in the region have been reported by Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore.
WHO said nine countries in the region are working toward measles elimination by 2030.
“But elimination cannot be sustained through catch-up campaigns alone,” the organization said. “It depends on health workers reaching communities, reliable vaccine supplies, strong surveillance and laboratories, good data and community trust.”
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For the Western Pacific, WHO said the next chapter of immunization is about protecting what countries have already achieved, reaching those still being missed, and ensuring the benefits of vaccination reach every generation.
Health representatives from the Western Pacific will meet in Manila for the 77th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific from Oct. 19 to 22 to discuss accelerating advancement of immunization in the region.
The summit will tackle a proposed regional plan through 2030, focusing on three connected priorities: reducing zero-dose and under-immunized populations; achieving and sustaining measles elimination; and advancing immunization across the life course.
The plan also emphasizes sustainable national financing and ownership, investment in the systems needed to deliver vaccines reliably and greater cooperation between countries.
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