Child vaccination rates in Ukraine remain below recommended levels

For the first nine months of 2025, the vaccination rate among children in Ukraine ranges from 66 to 73%, depending on age and vaccine type. The highest number of children were vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae and whooping cough, while the lowest were vaccinated against tuberculosis and hepatitis B. At the same time, as noted by the Ministry of Health, a safe threshold for herd immunity is achieved when at least 95% of children are vaccinated. This was reported to a UNN journalist by the Ministry of Health in response to an inquiry.

Details

According to the information received, the vaccination status of the population for the first 9 months of 2025 is as follows:

• 68.1% of children under one year of age were vaccinated against hepatitis B;
• 67.2% of children under one year of age were vaccinated against tuberculosis;
• 70.6% of children under one year of age, 69.5% of children aged 18 months, 70.6% of children aged 6 years, and 66.5% of children aged 14 years were vaccinated against polio;
• 72.9% of children under one year of age and 72.2% of children aged 18 months received vaccinations against whooping cough;
• 72.9% of children under one year of age, 72.2% of children aged 18 months, 63.8% of children aged 6 years, 66.8% of children aged 16 years, and 69.9% of adults eligible for vaccination in the current year were vaccinated against diphtheria and tetanus;
• 73.8% of children under one year of age and 66.8% of children aged 1 year received vaccinations against Haemophilus influenzae;
• 73.1% of children aged 1 year and 72.2% of children aged 6 years were vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella.

According to earlier recommendations from the Ministry of Health, increasing the vaccination rate among children to 95% will help overcome vaccine-preventable infections in Ukraine.

Additional vaccination measures

As separately noted by the agency, in 2022, a large-scale polio vaccination campaign for children began in Ukraine – a dangerous viral disease that can lead to paralysis. Immunization was carried out among children aged 6 months to 6 years who had not yet received their first or second dose of the vaccine. During the campaign period, as of August 2023, more than 224,000 vaccinations were administered: almost 99,000 children received the first dose, and more than 125,000 received the second.

In 2023, a so-called "catch-up" vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella was also conducted to prevent possible outbreaks of these infections and protect children who had not previously been vaccinated. During the campaign, more than 153,000 vaccinations were administered, which is more than 90% of the planned amount. In particular, more than 68,000 children aged 2 to 17 received the first dose, and more than 85,000 children aged 7 to 17 received the second.

In addition, in 2024, as part of additional vaccination measures against whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus, more than 1 million vaccinations were administered, which is almost 70% of the planned number.

Such campaigns, according to doctors, help strengthen herd immunity and prevent the return of dangerous diseases that were long overcome thanks to vaccination.

Earlier, UNN wrote that polio vaccination coverage in the European Region reached its lowest level since 2017, leaving about 450,000 infants vulnerable. Poliovirus remains endemic in several Asian countries, posing a risk to Europe.