Geneva: Highlighting the central role of vaccines in global disease control, the Director-General of the World Health Organization has said that wild poliovirus transmission is now confined to just 24 districts in Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying vaccines are steadily bringing the world closer to polio eradication.
Speaking at the opening of the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 41 cases of wild polio were reported globally in 2025, down from 99 cases across 49 districts in 2024, describing the decline as encouraging but fragile.
He said vaccines continue to drive progress against polio but warned that gaps in immunisation coverage could reverse gains. Referring to recent successes, he said Madagascar had stopped a polio outbreak, while countries around Lake Chad carried out a joint vaccination campaign that reached more than 83 million children. In Gaza, he said, WHO and partners vaccinated over 600,000 children, controlling the territory’s first recorded polio outbreak in 25 years.
The WHO chief said that despite funding pressures, the organisation had protected the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, enabling more than 740 laboratories worldwide to process over 700,000 tests last year to detect and respond to measles outbreaks.
He said WHO also supported seven additional countries to introduce malaria vaccines, bringing the total number of countries using the vaccine to 24. In addition, he said 15 more countries were supported to introduce HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer.
Tedros said that since the launch of the global call to eliminate cervical cancer in 2018, nearly 75 countries have introduced HPV vaccination, meaning around 65 percent of girls globally now live in countries where the vaccine is part of routine immunisation.
Addressing vaccine safety concerns, he said WHO conducted an analysis of 31 studies from multiple countries over a 15-year period, which again confirmed that vaccines, including those containing thiomersal and aluminium adjuvants, do not cause autism.
The WHO Director-General described 2025 as a year of mixed outcomes for the organisation. On the positive side, he said, the WHO Pandemic Agreement was adopted, amendments to the International Health Regulations entered into force, and the UN General Assembly approved a major political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health.
At the same time, he said, deep funding cuts forced WHO to reduce its workforce and scale back some activities, while sudden reductions in bilateral aid disrupted health services in many countries, particularly low- and middle-income states.
To address shrinking external support, Tedros said WHO is supporting countries to move towards greater reliance on domestic financing. He highlighted the organisation’s “3 by 35” initiative, which calls on governments to raise taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks to reduce disease burden while generating revenue for health systems.
On antimicrobial resistance, he said WHO surveillance data show that one in six bacterial infections globally is now resistant to antibiotics. He warned that misuse of stronger antibiotics is accelerating resistance and urged countries to shift towards safer prescribing practices.
He also highlighted weaknesses in health systems, saying 4.6 billion people worldwide still lack access to essential health services, while 2.1 billion face financial hardship due to healthcare costs. He warned of a projected global shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, more than half of them nurses.
Returning to Pakistan and Afghanistan, the WHO Director-General said sustained political commitment, community engagement and high vaccination coverage remain critical to interrupt the final chains of poliovirus transmission.
He also said WHO responded to 50 health emergencies in 82 countries last year and verified more than 1,300 attacks on healthcare facilities in conflict zones.
Although WHO has secured about 85 percent of its core budget for 2026–27, Tedros warned that funding gaps persist, particularly in emergency preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, climate resilience and health financing.
Calling on member states to continue increasing assessed contributions, he said predictable funding is essential for WHO to remain independent and science-led.
“This is your WHO,” he told delegates. “Its strength is your unity.”
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