What vaccines have prevented the most deaths around the world? Vaccinations are a divisive subject, but they are one of the biggest medical breakthroughs of the last 300 years. Preventing diseases has proven instrumental in making sure people live longer and healthier lives.
Neisseria Meningitidis A
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock-1767084407-huge-licensed-scaled.jpg)
©BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock.com
- Africa: 2,000
- Americas: N/A
- Eastern Mediterranean: N/A
- Europe: N/A
- South-east Asia: N/A
- Western Pacific: N/A
- Worldwide: 2,000
Japanese Encephalitis
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/shutterstock_2079443347-scaled.jpg)
©diy13/Shutterstock.com
- Africa: N/A
- Americas: N/A
- Eastern Mediterranean: N/A
- Europe: N/A
- South-east Asia: 20,000
- Western Pacific: 10,000
- Worldwide: 29,000
Rubella
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shutterstock_2031724505-scaled-1.jpg)
©Dmitryp-k/Shutterstock.com
- Africa: 45,000
- Americas: 30,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 34,000
- Europe: 14,000
- South-east Asia: 112,000
- Western Pacific: 50,000
- Worldwide: 286,000
Diphtheria
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/39744823871_5bd5f75562_b.jpg)
©"Eight-year-old Saddam, pictured being examined by Dr Iain Lennon of the UK's Emergency Medical Team, in a clinic in the Kutupalong camp for Rohingya refugees in southern Bangladesh, a day after receiving treatment for diphtheria" by DFID - UK Department for International Development is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 210,000
- Americas: 7,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 30,000
- Europe: 3,000
- South-east Asia: 84,000
- Western Pacific: 23,000
- Worldwide: 357,000
Rotavirus
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/48545958701_eca9230046_b.jpg)
©"Woman about to receive a vaccine from a medical professional" by SELF Magazine is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 228,000
- Americas: 31,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 67,000
- Europe: 4,000
- South-east Asia: 62,000
- Western Pacific: 4,000
- Worldwide: 396,000
Hepatitis B
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Engerix_B_28Hepatitis_B29_vaccine-scaled.jpg)
©"Engerix B (Hepatitis B) vaccine" by Whispyhistory is licensed under BY-SA 4.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 129,000
- Americas: 18,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 27,000
- Europe: 24,000
- South-east Asia: 73,000
- Western Pacific: 203,000
- Worldwide: 464,000
Yellow Fever
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/4220922584_ac8db1a31f_b.jpg)
©"Yellow Fever mosquito?" by John Tann is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 549,000
- Americas: 8,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 1,000
- Europe: N/A
- South-east Asia: N/A
- Western Pacific: N/A
- Worldwide: 554,000
Polio
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/15756669288_98f349a488_b.jpg)
©"Polio Virus" by vitroid is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 151,000
- Americas: 218,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 119,000
- Europe: 244,000
- South-east Asia: 347,000
- Western Pacific: 491,000
- Worldwide: 1,570,000
Streptococcus Pneumoniae
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Streptococcus_pneumoniae_-_A_causative_bacteria_of_meningitis.jpg)
©"Streptococcus pneumoniae - A causative bacteria of meningitis" by www.scientificanimations.com is licensed under BY-SA 4.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 1,026,0000
- Americas: 69,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 284,000
- Europe: 31,000
- South-east Asia: 137,000
- Western Pacific: 70,000
- Worldwide: 1,628,000
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Act-HIb-scaled.jpg)
©"File:Act-HIb.jpg" by melvil is licensed under BY-SA 4.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 1,534,000
- Americas: 181,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 422,000
- Europe: 36,000
- South-east Asia: 603,000
- Western Pacific: 71,000
- Worldwide: 2,845,000
Tuberculosis
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/4072400611_60c47f20b9_b.jpg)
©"Firland Tuberculosis Hospital beds, 1927" by Seattle Municipal Archives is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 6,568,000
- Americas: 231,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 822,000
- Europe: 108,000
- South-east Asia: 2,416,000
- Western Pacific: 756,000
- Worldwide: 10,874,000
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bordetella_pertussis_on_Charcoal_Agar_supplemented_with_Cephalexin_-_Detail.jpg)
©"Bordetella pertussis on Charcoal Agar supplemented with Cephalexin - Detail" by Nathan Reading from Halesowen, UK is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 4,197,000
- Americas: 367,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 1,861,000
- Europe: 231,000
- South-east Asia: 4,437,000
- Western Pacific: 2,058,000
- Worldwide: 13,173,000
Tetanus
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/4919795171_771ae41b50_b.jpg)
©"tetanus shot time" by blakespot is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 9,544,000
- Americas: 65,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 8,501,000
- Europe: 21,000
- South-east Asia: 9,218,000
- Western Pacific: 586,000
- Worldwide: 27,948,000
Measles
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1374246950_bc1cd61191_b.jpg)
©"Fighting the killer measles" by Julien Harneis is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 28,660,000
- Americas: 14,894,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 12,887,000
- Europe: 6,562,000
- South-east Asia: 20,517,000
- Western Pacific: 10,192,000
- Worldwide: 93,712,000
Totals
![](https://history-computer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/48545835566_6510d9c1ca_b.jpg)
©"Young girl receiving a vaccine in her arm" by SELF Magazine is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Africa: 52,843,000
- Americas: 16,119,000
- Eastern Mediterranean: 25,055,000
- Europe: 7,278,000
- South-east Asia: 38,026,000
- Western Pacific: 14,514,000
- Worldwide: 153,838,000
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Me dia/Shutterstock.com.