India’s antigen-wise immunisation coverage surpasses global averages: Centre

Even as the latest Lancet paper marked India among eight countries with a high burden of zerodose children those who had never received a routine childhood vaccine the Union government on Saturday said that the countryrsquos large population size and high vaccination coverage rate must be considered when making such comparisonsThe government noted that ldquoIndiarsquos antigenwise immunisation coverage surpasses global averages across all antigensrdquoIn other words the vaccination strategy deployed in India is targeted against antigens which can trigger an immune response resisting pathogens like a virus or bacteriaThe global study led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington US showed that in 2023 more than half of the worldrsquos 157 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries These were primarily in subSaharan Africa 53 per cent and South Asia 13 per cent Nigeria India the Democratic Republic of Congo Ethiopia Somalia Sudan Indonesia and BrazilThe government stated that with continued sustained efforts and intensified implementation of vaccination drives and campaigns across the country the percentage of zerodose children in India has actually declined to 006 per cent in 2024 from 011 per cent in 2023The numbers which positioned India as a global exemplar in child health have also been acknowledged by the UN Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation in its 2024 report the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare saidFurther citing the WUNEIC report 2023 the Ministry explained that the national coverage for Diphtheriatetanuspertussis DTP DTP1 and DTP3 ranks among the highest compared to other countries with the largest number of zerodose childrenAccording to WUENIC 2023 India with a high population size and sociogeographical diversity National DTP1 Penta1 has a coverage of 93 per cent which is 247 crore out of 265 crore infants have been vaccinated even though during the equivalent period which is significantly higher than Nigeriarsquos 70 per centThere is a commensurate decrease in dropout percentage from DTP1 to DTP3 from 7 per cent in 2013 to 2 per cent in 2023 and an increase in coverage of Measles from 83 per cent in 2013 to 93 per cent in 2023The comparative results of countries on zero dose children as a percentage of the total population shows that Yemen 168 per cent Sudan 145 per cent Angola 11 per cent Afghanistan 11 per cent Nigeria 098 per cent DR Congo 082 per cent Ethiopia 072 per cent Indonesia 023 per cent Pakistan 016 per cent have far more zero dose children as a percentage of their population compared to Indiarsquos 011 per cent during 2023 as per the last Wuneic report releasedThus ldquoany comparison of India with any other countries with high burden zero dose children needs to take into consideration Indiarsquos large population size and high vaccination coverage raterdquo the Ministry saidldquoTherefore any interpretation or analysis based on isolated factors does not lend credence to the countryrsquos progress on its immunisation programmerdquo it addedThe Ministry said that Indiarsquos unwavering commitment to immunisation is evident in its elimination of polio in 2014 and maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015 and the rollout of the measlesrubella campaign in 2025This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever