India’s child immunization levels, three years post-pandemic, have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, with the national program failing to reach 1.6 million children for DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) and measles shots in 2023, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
(1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Immunization and Child Health
)
Jan Grevendonk, Technical Officer overseeing immunization vaccines and biologicals at WHO headquarters in Geneva, noted that while 2023 achievements were slightly below those of 2019, they also fell short of 2022 levels, a trend observed in many countries reflecting catch-up efforts from the previous year.
Immunization Setback
The report reveals that gains achieved in 2022 over 2021 have been reversed as over 350,000 children missed measles and DPT vaccinations in 2023, despite efforts by the Union Health Ministry to launch catch-up campaigns aimed at improving India’s child immunization rates.
The report also flags India among the 52 countries that have not included HPV vaccination in their immunization packages, despite cervical cancer being a significant health concern among women.
Globally, childhood immunization coverage stagnated in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- or under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Despite improvements in immunization coverage from 2000 to 2019, the pandemic severely disrupted health services, causing the national program to miss 2.5-3.4 million children for DPT and measles vaccines in 2020. While numbers improved in 2021 and 2022, they regressed in 2023.
Epidemiologist Giridhara Babu expressed concern over the stagnation in DTP coverage and the persistently high number of zero-dose children, emphasizing the urgent need for nations, especially those facing fragility and conflict, to prioritize and scale up catch-up immunization campaigns.
Advertisement
Reference:
- Immunization and Child Health – (https://www.unicef.org/india/what-we-do/immunization)
Source-Medindia
