Over 1.44 million Indian children still left unvaccinated: Lancet report

India Today

5 hours ago

India is among several South Asian countries experiencing a critical global challenge in childhood vaccine, with over 1.44 million children classified as "zero-dose" in 2023, according to a new Lancet study.While routine childhood vaccination has saved millions of lives since 1980, global progress has slowed in recent years, especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Many children, especially in Africa and South Asia, are still missing out on life-saving vaccines.advertisement
The study is based on the Global Burden of Disease 2023 data and looks at vaccine coverage in 204 countries between 1980 and 2023. It focuses on 11 key vaccines recommended for all children, including those that protect against diphtheria, measles, polio, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and rotavirus.Since the launch of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Essential Programme on Immunisation in 1974, childhood vaccination efforts have prevented around 154 million child deaths globally.However, in the past decade, progress has slowed. Vaccine coverage in many countries stagnated or even declined, especially during the Covid-19 years.THE RISE OF ZERO-DOSE CHILDRENIn particular, the study highlights the rise in 'zero-dose children" -- those who did not receive even the first dose of the basic DTP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis).
The study highlights the rise in 'zero-dose children
advertisementBetween 1980 and 2019, the number of zero-dose children dropped by nearly 75%, but it rose again during the pandemic, peaking at 18.6 million in 2021.In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53%) and South Asia (13%) -- Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, 882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000).India has around 1.44 million of these children, making it the second-highest after Nigeria. South Asia alone is home to about 13% of these unvaccinated children, showing that the problem is especially serious in this part of the world.COVID-19 SLOWED RECOVERYThe Covid-19 pandemic had a prominent impact on routine vaccinations. Coverage for essential vaccines such as DTP, measles (MCV1), and polio dropped sharply in 2020 and still has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Even high-income countries saw declines.Some newer vaccines, like the second dose of measles (MCV2), pneumococcal vaccine (PCV3), and rotavirus vaccine, continued to expand during the pandemic but at a slower pace than expected.
India has around 1.44 million of these children, making it the second-highest after Nigeria. ()
Forecasts to 2030 suggest that only DTP3 (the full course of DTP vaccine) might meet the WHO's target of 90% coverage, and that too only in a best-case scenario.THE WAY FORWARDThe study calls for urgent action to meet the goals of the Immunisation Agenda 2030 (IA2030).These include halving the number of zero-dose children and reaching 90% vaccine coverage for key vaccines.This can be done, if countries:Strengthen primary health care systems, especially in underserved areasAddress vaccine hesitancy and misinformationTarget support to conflict-affected and resource-poor regionsFocus on local needs and subnational areas that lag behindContinue global recovery efforts like WHO's 'Big Catch-Up' campaignThe authors of the study warn that without these focused efforts, global immunisation goals could not be achieved.Millions of children could continue to live at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.- EndsMust Watch