Vaccination Worldwide: 5 Countries, 5 Facts

While the science of vaccines has advanced, global access and public trust remain uneven. In the context of World Immunization Week, this guide explores how vaccination success stories and struggles differ by country — not just due to medical infrastructure, but also cultural attitudes, social dynamics, and socioeconomic inequality.

United Kingdom: A Strong System Facing a Crisis of Confidence

The UK has long maintained a structured and publicly funded vaccination program through the NHS. Childhood vaccines are free, systematically offered, and tracked from birth.

However, the country is currently facing declining uptake rates:

• In 2022–2023, only 89.3% of children in England received their first MMR dose by age 2 — well below the 95% WHO target needed to prevent outbreaks.
• London has seen rates drop as low as 74%, triggering fears of measles resurgence.

What’s behind this decline?

• Misinformation, especially in digital spaces.
• Post-COVID skepticism and a growing anti-science sentiment.
• Health inequalities, with communities showing lower uptake due to language barriers, mistrust in institutions, and inconsistent access to local services.

The UK is a prime example that having free vaccines is not enough — trust and consistent outreach are essential. towards vaccination.

Norway: Immunization as a Social Norm

Norway exemplifies what happens when universal healthcare, education, and public trust work together:

• Vaccination coverage exceeds 96% across most of the country.
• Vaccines are not just free — they are expected, integrated smoothly into early childcare and school systems.

Norway invests in parental communication, ensuring that families are informed through trusted sources. The system doesn’t just deliver vaccines — it delivers reassurance.

Nigeria: Demand Is High, Access Is Not

In Nigeria and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, vaccine hesitancy is not the primary issue — logistics are.

• In 2022, 2.2 million Nigerian children did not receive even a single dose of routine vaccines (UNICEF).
• Rural areas face severe supply chain challenges, workforce shortages, and political instability.

The problem isn’t unwillingness; in fact, many parents walk for hours to get vaccines for their children. But supply simply doesn’t match demand. This creates a tragic cycle: vaccine-preventable diseases remain endemic not because of ignorance, but because of geographic and economic exclusion.

Whether you're planning a vaccination while traveling, relocating, or simply seeking the best preventive care, with Wupdoc, you can create your enquiry, compare your options, and make informed decisions with confidence.
 

Turkey: A Balancing Act Between Progress and Polarization

Turkey has been successful in eliminating diseases like polio and significantly reducing tuberculosis through structured national programs.

However, like many countries, it is now facing a new wave of vaccine skepticism, especially in urban and middle-class communities.

• Influencers and misinformation channels on social media promote anti-vax narratives.
• While national vaccine coverage remains high (~95%), drops in confidence could threaten long-term stability.

Turkey’s case shows how cultural and political polarization can influence even well-established healthcare systems.

United States: Scientific Leadership Undermined by Mistrust

Despite being home to leading pharmaceutical companies, pioneers of mRNA vaccines, and a global leader in biomedical research, the US faces some of the most intense vaccine polarization in the developed world.

• MMR coverage in some states like Mississippi is above 95%, while in others like Idaho it falls below 80%.
• Personal beliefs and exemptions have allowed misinformation to spread, leading to localized outbreaks of measles and pertussis.

The US shows that access and technology are meaningless without coherent public health messaging, equity-focused delivery, and community-level trust-building.

Vaccination: A Global Health Indicator

Vaccination isn’t just a health service — it’s a reflection of a society’s values:

• Do we prioritize prevention over crisis response?
• Do we invest in public trust, not just in products?
• Do we see health as a collective responsibility, or a personal choice?

Still today, over 20 million children worldwide do not receive essential vaccines. The vast majority live in countries affected by poverty, conflict, or systemic neglect. But worrying signs also emerge in wealthier nations, where hesitancy, complacency, and digital misinformation reverse years of progress.

How Wupdoc Supports Your Right to Health

Wupdoc is a global healthcare platform that connects people to trusted doctors and clinics around the world, no matter where they are. At Wupdoc, we believe vaccination is more than a medical service — it’s a powerful tool for empowerment, protection, and equality. By helping people find and choose the right healthcare providers, we work toward a world where no one is left behind because of their location or resources.

With Wupdoc, you can easily compare doctor and clinic profiles, read real patient reviews, check credentials, and explore prices — all in one place.  Wupdoc gives you the freedom to explore your options and make informed decisions with confidence.