The Big Catch-Up has delivered more than 100 million childhood vaccine doses across 36 countries, according to WHO, Gavi and UNICEF. The campaign was launched to close vaccination gaps that widened during the pandemic years.
The agencies estimate that 18.3 million children aged one to five were reached between 2023 and 2025.
Missed appointments became a global risk
Routine vaccination was disrupted during COVID-19 as clinics closed, outreach slowed and families missed appointments. That left millions of children without protection they should have received against diseases such as measles and polio.
WHO, Gavi and UNICEF say the campaign reached an estimated 12.3 million zero-dose children, meaning children who had not previously received any vaccines. It also reached 15 million children who had never received a measles vaccine.
The repair work is not finished
The number is large, but the agencies say catch-up campaigns are not a substitute for strong routine immunization. Emergency drives can close gaps, but health systems still need to reach infants every year.
Final data is still being compiled. For now, the campaign shows that part of the pandemic's quieter damage can be repaired, but only with sustained local health work after the headline target is reached.
