New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) The percentage of children in India who received no vaccinations at all—classified as “zero-dose”—fell from 0.11pc in 2023 to 0.06pc in 2024, the Union Health Ministry said today.
This improvement coincides with a reported infant mortality rate of 80 per lakh live births.
The Ministry’s statement comes days after a report published in Lancet Global Health which noted that India had 1.44 million zero-dose children in 2023, raising concerns over gaps in immunisation coverage and vulnerability to preventable diseases.
However, the Union Health Ministry cited the United Nations Inter-Agency Group’s 2024 Child Mortality Estimates Report that said, “India’s infant mortality rate is 80 per lakh live births, which is an 86% decline compared to the global reduction of 48% since 1990.”
The infant mortality ratio in India was 130 per lakh in the 2014-16 period. Furthermore, India has achieved a 78% reduction in the mortality rate of children under five, surpassing the global reduction of 61%, and a 70% reduction in neonatal mortality, said the statement.
Globally, the reduction from 1990 to 2023 is 54%.
The ministry further said that India’s Universal Immunisation Program (UIP) currently covers 12 vaccine-preventable diseases and has seen significant expansion.
The ‘Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024’ has been implemented in 143 districts across 11 states, where the number of unvaccinated children is high. Under the Mission Indradhanush, 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated, it said.
The ministry said that India’s vaccination rate is ahead of the global average. Every year, the Universal Immunisation Program provides free vaccination to 29 million pregnant women and 26 million infants (0-1 year).
Continuous efforts are being made to reduce the burden of unvaccinated children in the country. Life-saving vaccines have had a significant impact on reducing child mortality and morbidity caused by diarrhoea, pneumonia, meningitis, and encephalitis.
The statement further said that India has achieved a 78% reduction in the mortality rate of children under five, whereas the global figure stands at 61%. Neonatal mortality has decreased by 70%. Currently, India’s vaccination campaign includes 12 vaccines targeting ‘preventable diseases’.
The ministry also sought to clarify that any comparison of India with any other countries with high-burden zero-dose children needs to take into consideration India’s large population size and high vaccination coverage rate.
“Therefore, any interpretation or analysis based on isolated factors does not lend credence to the country’s progress on its immunisation programme,” it added.