Mistrust in local, national governments is slowing down child vaccination progress in Africa Mistrust in local and national governments is slowing down child vaccination progress in Africa, which has half of the world's unvaccinated and undervaccinated children, a study shows. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, vaccination prevents two to three million deaths annually worldwide from diseases such as tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles but almost 20 million infants each year lack adequate access to vaccines. The study published last month in BMJ Global Health says that child vaccination rates in African countries are much lower in areas where the local population has high levels of mistrust in local and national institutions.