India's Vaccination Challenge: 16 Lakh Unvaccinated Children in 2023

India has 16 lakh unvaccinated children, the second-highest globally, per WHO and UNICEF. Despite this, India shows high immunization rates compared to other countries. Efforts are underway to address zero-dose children with a special plan, emphasizing India's commitment to improving vaccination coverage.

According to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Monday, India had 16 lakh unvaccinated children in 2023, marking the second-highest number worldwide after Nigeria.

However, sources from ANI have indicated that these unvaccinated children represent only 0.11% of India's total population. Efforts are actively being made to address and reduce this segment with the implementation of a specialized Zero Dose Plan. India's commitment towards minimizing zero-dose children remains strong, noted the sources.

These sources further highlighted the stark difference in population size between India and the countries with which it is compared. Despite this, estimations from WUNIC (WHO/UNICEF) demonstrate that India’s immunization rates for DPT1 and DPT3 surpass those of other nations. India’s DPT1 coverage stands at 93%, against less than 90% in other countries, while DPT3 coverage is 91%, higher than the global average of 84%. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Director, Saima Wazed, has urged for urgent action to increase vaccination rates, emphasizing that no child should suffer from vaccine-preventable diseases when safe vaccines are available.

Wazed further affirmed WHO's commitment to aiding countries in enhancing their immunization coverage to ensure every individual has access to necessary vaccines for their health and well-being.