India's Immunization Efforts Outshine Global Standards Despite Misleading Reports

India’s immunization program showcases success with over 90% coverage for many vaccines, disproving recent media reports. The comprehensive efforts under initiatives like Mission Indradhanush have significantly reduced zero-dose children, earning global recognition for combating diseases such as Measles and Rubella.

Recent media reports suggest India has a high number of 'zero dose children' compared to other countries, as highlighted by a UNICEF report. However, these reports offer an incomplete picture by not considering the population base and immunization coverage of the countries compared, stated the Union Health Ministry. The complete and accurate narrative of India's immunization efforts can only be understood through a comprehensive analysis of the data and programmatic interventions.

The Ministry noted that most antigens in India have over 90% coverage, comparable to several high-income countries. For example, New Zealand's DTP-1 coverage stands at 93%, while Germany and Finland have a DPT-3 coverage of 91%, and Sweden's MCV-1 coverage is at 93%. India's 83% coverage for the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) is significantly higher than the global average of 65%.

Considering its large population, India has the highest number of vaccinated children. Its target cohort is more than three times larger than the nine countries used for comparison. Remarkably, India has DTP-1 (Penta-1) coverage above 90%, with a dropout rate of only 2% for the third dose. These figures reflect India's focused programmatic interventions amid its socio-geographic diversity. The Universal Immunization Programme, India’s largest public health initiative, targets 2.6 crore children and 2.9 crore pregnant women annually through 1.2 crore vaccination sessions. India's Full Immunization Coverage for FY 2023-24 is at 93.23%, leading to a significant decline in the Under-5 Mortality Rate from 45 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 32 per 1000 live births, according to SRS 2020.

To address zero-dose and under-vaccinated children, India has rolled out initiatives under Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush, with support from states. These efforts have reduced zero-dose children by 34% from 2014 to 2023. Twelve phases of Mission Indradhanush have vaccinated 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women. India provides the maximum number of WHO-recommended vaccines under its UIP, with a mean coverage of 83.4%, surpassing the global average by over 10 percentage points. India has maintained 13 years of polio-free status and aims to eliminate Measles and Rubella, achieving 93% coverage for the first doses of DTP-1 (Penta-1) and Measles and Rubella vaccines. For these efforts, India received the Measles and Rubella Champion Award from The Measles and Rubella Partnership at the American Red Cross Headquarters in March 2024.