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How India's vaccine programme ensures access for all, even remote areas
Child health is a powerful measure of a nation's progress, and nutrition and preventive care like vaccination are key to reducing child mortality and illness. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), these factors are vital for both social and economic development. While India has made notable progress in immunisation coverage, challenges remain. According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted during 2019–21, 76.1 per cent of children received full immunisation. This marks a steady improvement from 62 per cent in NFHS-4 and just 44 per cent in NFHS-3 (2005–06). Yet, with nearly a quarter of children still missing out, awareness and access to quality healthcare infrastructure continue to be pressing issues on the path to universal immunisation.
As the world observes World Immunisation Week 2025 under the theme 'Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible', here is all about India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP):
What is India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)?
India's immunisation programme was introduced in 1978 as the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). In 1985, it was restructured as the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), with a target of 100 per cent coverage for pregnant women and 85 per cent coverage for all infants by 1990. To ensure full immunisation of children up to two years of age and pregnant women with all standard vaccines, the Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 under the UIP. This initiative was further scaled up in 2017 as the Intensified Mission Indradhanush to expand coverage.
Why India's UIP is one of the world's largest vaccination programmes
The UIP is one of the largest public health programmes globally, targeting approximately 27 million infants and 30 million pregnant women annually. It offers protection against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including:
Tuberculosis (TB)
Diphtheria
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Tetanus
Poliomyelitis
Measles
Hepatitis B
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
Japanese Encephalitis (JE)
Rotavirus Diarrhoea
Rubella
Pneumococcal Pneumonia
These vaccines are provided at no cost through government healthcare facilities, ensuring equitable access irrespective of socioeconomic status. ALSO READ | JP Nadda launches National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination campaign
Full list of free vaccines under India's Universal Immunisation Programme
The UIP encompasses the following vaccines:
Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for TB
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)
Pentavalent Vaccine (combining Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Hib)
Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccine
Rotavirus Vaccine
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV)
Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine (in endemic regions)
Tetanus and Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine for adolescents and pregnant women
Vitamin A Supplementation
Vaccine
Route
Site
At Birth
BCG, OPV-0, Hepatitis B-0
Intradermal, Oral, Intramuscular
Left Upper Arm, Oral, Anterolateral Thigh
6 Weeks
Pentavalent-1, OPV-1, IPV-1, Rotavirus-1, PCV-1
Intramuscular, Oral, Intradermal, Oral, Intramuscular
Anterolateral Thigh, Oral, Right Upper Arm, Oral, Anterolateral Thigh
10 Weeks
Pentavalent-2, OPV-2, Rotavirus-2
Intramuscular, Oral, Oral
Anterolateral Thigh, Oral, Oral
14 Weeks
Pentavalent-3, OPV-3, IPV-2, Rotavirus-3, PCV-2
Intramuscular, Oral, Intradermal, Oral, Intramuscular
Anterolateral Thigh, Oral, Right Upper Arm, Oral, Anterolateral Thigh
9–12 Months
MR-1, JE-1 (in endemic areas), PCV Booster, Vitamin A-1
Subcutaneous, Subcutaneous, Intramuscular, Oral
Right Upper Arm, Left Upper Arm, Anterolateral Thigh, Oral
16–24 Months
DPT Booster-1, OPV Booster, MR-2, JE-2 (in endemic areas), Vitamin A-2
Intramuscular, Oral, Subcutaneous, Subcutaneous, Oral
Anterolateral Thigh, Oral, Right Upper Arm, Left Upper Arm, Oral
5–6 Years
DPT Booster-2
Intramuscular
Left Upper Arm
10 & 16 Years
Td Vaccine
Intramuscular
Upper Arm
U-WIN and CoWIN: How India tracks routine and Covid-19 vaccinations
To streamline immunisation efforts, the MoHFW has introduced digital platforms:
U-WIN: Aims to digitise the routine immunisation programme, enabling real-time tracking of beneficiaries and vaccine stocks.
CoWIN: Initially developed for Covid-19 vaccination, it is being integrated to manage routine immunisation appointments and records.
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