India's Immunization Challenge: 16 Lakh Children Miss Out on Vaccines in 2023

In 2023, India ranked second globally with nearly 16 lakh zero-dose children, following Nigeria's 21 lakh. This marked an improvement since 2021 when India led the list with 27.3 lakh unvaccinated children. WHO and UNICEF emphasized urgent action to identify and vaccinate these children.

In a concerning revelation, India recorded nearly 16 lakh zero-dose children in 2023, making it the second-highest globally, just behind Nigeria, which reported 21 lakh unvaccinated children.

This represents a significant improvement for India compared to 2021, a year in which the country ranked first globally with 27.3 lakh unvaccinated children.

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF highlights the critical need for accelerated vaccination efforts. 'No child should fall sick or die from preventable diseases when effective vaccines exist,' stressed WHO South-East Asia Regional Director, Saima Wazed.