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Despite making progress in the healthcare sector in the last few decades, India still has the second highest number of unvaccinated children in the world, according to a recent report by Lancet, a reputed medical journal. The study claims India has 14.4 lakh children with ‘zero dose’ and stands, only behind Nigeria in the list of countries with the highest number of unvaccinated children. The study also found out that ‘half of the world’s unvaccinated children’ lived in eight countries which include India, Nigeria, Ethiopia and a few other countries from Asia and Africa.
Number Of Unvaccinated Children Rises Globally
The study particularly emphasised on children with ‘zero dose’: those who have not received even the first dose of the basic DTP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis). The lack of immunisation efforts from the global community of late has rendered these children susceptible to deadly, but preventable diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles, polio, or tuberculosis. The study suggested that the number of unvaccinated children was on the rise, globally but especially in South-Asian and Sub-Saharan countries. The data suggested that despite making good progress worldwide from 1980’s to 2010’s in children’s vaccination, there has been a concerning stagnation in numbers during the last decade or so. “By 2023, an estimated 15.7 million children globally had received no doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine in their first year of life – with India being a significant contributor to this cohort. Measles vaccination coverage declined in 100 of 204 countries between 2010 and 2019, while 21 of 36 high-income countries experienced declines in vaccination coverage,” the report added. More than 7 million of these unvaccinated children belong to merely eight countries, with India’s 1.44 million zero-dose children positioning it as the second-highest globally, just behind Nigeria. South Asia as a region accounts for a troubling 13% of these vulnerable children, highlighting the disparity in healthcare systems between the sub-continent and the west.
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Did Covid Deter The 2030 Plan?
The report stated that achieving coverage of 90 percent or greater for each of the life-course vaccines — all three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, two measles vaccines, and the pneumococcal vaccine — was the central target for 2030, however it added that Covid had severely affected the progress and until 2023, only 18 of 204 countries had already met the target. The researchers said that these latest estimates should serve as a wake up call for the global community and that, without substantial improvements in equity across the globe. “Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake,” the report added.
What Does This Mean For India?
Dr Abhishek Chopra, a Senior Consultant, Neonatologist and Paediatricians at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, New Delhi, Punjabi Bagh said that it was deeply concerning to learn that India holds the second-highest number of unvaccinated children globally. “Vaccines are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent childhood illnesses, disabilities, and deaths. Diseases like measles, diphtheria, and polio, which are entirely preventable, continue to pose a serious threat simply because some children are not getting the vaccines they need at the right time,” Abhisek added. Dr Abhishek highlighted several reasons for the lack of vaccination in India. He believes that socioeconomic disparities, lack of awareness, misinformation about vaccine safety, logistical challenges in rural areas, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have all played a role in decreasing routine immunization coverage. Dr Abhishek also emphasised the need for India to intensify efforts at the grassroots levels. He said that awareness campaigns need to be consistent, localised, and culturally sensitive.
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Conclusion
To meet the target 2030 of a fully vaccinated world, the researchers highlighted important measures countries should take in order to meet the goals of the Immunisation Agenda 2030 (IA2030):
- To Specially focus on rural and underserved areas.
- To address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation among masses and push for awareness.
- To target support to conflict-affected and resource-poor regions.
- To focus on local needs and subnational areas that lag behind economically.
- To continue funding global recovery efforts like WHO’s “Big Catch-Up” campaign.