Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024 developed for 143 districts in 11 States, says Nadda

Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024 aims to vaccinate unvaccinated children in India; high coverage and successful campaigns noted.

A Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024 has been developed for 143 districts in 11 States in India that have a high number of unvaccinated children, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said in the Parliament on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Mission Indradhanush (MI) and Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) are special vaccination campaigns conducted in collaboration with States that have a high number of unvaccinated children. Until 2023, 12 phases of MI or IMI have been conducted where 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated, the Minsiter said.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said there has been a flawed comparison with countries that have a high burden zero dose children in the 2023 WHO/UNICEF report on estimates of national immunisation coverage as it has not taken into consideration India's population and high vaccination coverage.

As a percentage, zero dose or unvaccinated children account for 0.11 per cent of the country's total population, the Minister said.

Mr. Nadda said the government was aware of the 2023 report of World Health Organization/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization coverage (WUENIC) on India's position on zero dose children.

"However, there has been a flawed comparison with countries having high burden zero dose children as it has not taken into consideration India's population and high vaccination coverage," Nadda said.

With continued efforts, there has been a commensurate decrease in drop-out percentages from DTP-1 to DTP-3 from 7 per cent in 2013 to 2 per cent in 2023 and increased coverage of measles from 83 per cent in 2013 to 93 per cent in 2023, he stated.