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Hans India
2 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Zero-dose children: India's immunisation coverage surpasses global averages, says Centre
Even as the latest Lancet paper marked India among eight countries with a high burden of zero-dose children, those who had never received a routine childhood vaccine, the Union government on Saturday said that the country's large population size, and high vaccination coverage rate must be considered when making such comparisons. The government noted that 'India's antigen-wise immunisation coverage surpasses global averages across all antigens'. In other words, the vaccination strategy deployed in India is targeted against antigens, which can trigger an immune response resisting pathogens (like a virus or bacteria). The 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 world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries. These were primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53 per cent) and South Asia (13 per cent): Nigeria, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Indonesia, and Brazil. The government stated that with continued, sustained efforts and intensified implementation of vaccination drives and campaigns across the country, the percentage of zero-dose children in India has actually declined to 0.06 per cent in 2024 from 0.11 per cent in 2023. The numbers, which positioned India as a global exemplar in child health, have also been acknowledged by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation in its 2024 report, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. Further, citing the WUNEIC report 2023, the Ministry explained that the national coverage for Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) -- DTP1 and DTP3 -- ranks among the highest compared to other countries with the largest number of zero-dose children. According to WUENIC 2023, India, with a high population size and socio-geographical diversity, National DTP-1 (Penta-1) has a coverage of 93 per cent, which is 2.47 crore out of 2.65 crore infants have been vaccinated, even though during the equivalent period, which is significantly higher than Nigeria's 70 per cent. There is a commensurate decrease in dropout percentage from DTP-1 to DTP-3, 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 2023. The comparative results of countries on zero dose children as a percentage of the total population shows that Yemen (1.68 per cent), Sudan (1.45 per cent), Angola (1.1 per cent), Afghanistan (1.1 per cent), Nigeria (0.98 per cent), DR Congo (0.82 per cent), Ethiopia (0.72 per cent), Indonesia (0.23 per cent), Pakistan (0.16 per cent) have far more zero dose children as a percentage of their population compared to India's 0.11 per cent during 2023 as per the last Wuneic report released. Thus, '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,' the Ministry said. 'Therefore, any interpretation or analysis based on isolated factors does not lend credence to the country's progress on its immunisation programme,' it added. The Ministry said that India's unwavering commitment to immunisation is evident in its elimination of polio in 2014 and maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015, and the roll-out of the measles-rubella campaign in 2025.
4 days ago
- Health
Vaccination rates are slipping around the world. Canada isn't immune, says new study
After decades of progress, childhood vaccination rates have started stalling or falling around the world in recent years, and Canada is not immune to the trend, suggests a new study (new window) from The Lancet. The study estimated the coverage of 11 childhood vaccines in 204 countries and territories between 1980 and 2023, analyzing over 1,000 data sources from around the world. It found that although globally there were huge strides made in vaccine coverage for children during that period (vaccine coverage against diseases like measles, polio and pertussis more than doubled), progress started stalling, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly in the Americas and high-income countries, between 2010 and 2019, measles vaccine coverage declined in about half the countries, said Dr. Jonathan Mosser, an assistant professor of health metric sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and one of the co-authors of the study. The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to vaccination rates, with more than 15 million children globally missing routine shots between 2020 and 2023, Mosser said. The world never fully rebounded to pre-pandemic childhood vaccination levels, he said. The pandemic reversed decades of progress that we had in reducing the number of zero-dose children, those children that have never received one of these key childhood vaccines. Worsening vaccine inequalities The pandemic had an outsized impact on regions that already had low vaccine coverage before COVID-19, Mosser said. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa saw the greatest disruption to vaccine coverage: five to seven million children in the region are estimated to have missed vaccines protecting them against diseases like polio, pneumococcal disease and rotavirus. We have challenges related to really long-standing global inequalities and vaccination coverage with many low- and middle-income countries having significantly lower coverage than high-income countries, Mosser said. Why vaccination rates have started stalling varies from country to country, he added. WATCH | Misinformation largely driving vaccination decline: study: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Decline in childhood vaccination fuelled by global conflicts, misinformation: Lancet 2 days agoDuration2:01A new study published in the Lancet medical journal suggests childhood vaccinations have stagnated or declined since 2010. The authors say geopolitical instability is fuelling the drop in some countries, but misinformation is largely driving the decline in high-income countries. In some places around the world, they're related to geopolitical instability, they're related to supply chain issues. In many high-income countries, they're related to vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, he said. Convincing those who won't get vaccinated In Canada, Mosser said, vaccine coverage for most shots has dropped compared to the early 2000s. Uptake for some vaccines have fallen over time, like the shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Recently there's been some increases in uptake for other jabs – like the first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — but the modest increase isn't enough to prevent outbreaks. For instance, Mosser said, vaccination rates for measles in 2023 — 92 per cent for one dose of the MMR and 79 per cent for two doses of the MMR — are well below the threshold needed for herd immunity, which is 95 per cent. In high-income countries like Canada, vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have seriously undermined confidence in vaccines and contributed to lower vaccination coverage, said Mosser. Another contributing factor could be disparities in coverage, along divides like socioeconomic status, location, race or religion, he added. New strategies are needed to encourage people to listen to trusted and reliable voices, including their health-care providers, about vaccination. WATCH | Why ending the measles outbreak will be challenging: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Why it's going to be hard to end Ontario's measles outbreak Ontario currently has more measles cases than in all of the U.S. combined, and infections are climbing in Alberta and Manitoba. CBC's Jennifer Yoon breaks down what's behind the resurgence of a disease eliminated decades ago, and why those on the front line say it's going to be really difficult to get this outbreak under control. In a statement, the Public Health Agency of Canada said it is researching the various and often complex reasons driving vaccine hesitancy across Canada. The agency says it also is developing evidence-based awareness campaigns and resources to support health-care providers encountering vaccine hesitancy. 'A travelling world' As public health authorities try to convince those in Canada who won't get vaccinated, it's also important to support and fund vaccination campaigns around the world, say experts in Canada. The world is a travelling world, said Dr. Mahli Brindamour, a pediatrician at Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon. If we don't have good vaccine coverage in sub-Saharan Africa, that touches Canada as well, said Brindamour, who also practices at REACH clinic, a multidisciplinary refugee clinic. She says she's seen patients, often from regions facing conflict, where it's difficult to access vaccines. But they're almost always eager to get the shot, if one is needed and offered. We don't see a lot of vaccine hesitancy, she said, in reference to refugee populations. Dr. Gabriel Fabreau, a general internal medicine specialist in Calgary, who also works with newcomer populations, has also observed that his patients don't hesitate to get childhood vaccinations. He says Canada should make it easier for these populations to catch up on any childhood vaccines they've missed. Health systems work best if we make routine and easy things that we know are important, he said. Ramping up pre-departure vaccination programs, facilitating medical and vaccine record-sharing across borders and offering vaccines upon arrival are easy ways to address this complex problem, he added. Jennifer Yoon (new window) · CBC News
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Millions of children at risk from stalling global vaccinations, study says
The study said that while global coverage for key vaccines, including those against measles, polio, and tuberculosis, almost doubled between 1980 and 2023, progress slowed in many countries and territories between 2010 and 2019, and has even reversed in some cases in recent years. Advertisement The trend was also seen in wealthier parts of the world, with declines in at least one key vaccine in 21 of 36 high-income countries and territories. The coronavirus pandemic 'exacerbated these challenges, with global rates for these vaccines declining sharply since 2020, and still not returning to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels as of 2023,' the study said, causing tens millions of children to miss doses of routine vaccines and 'increasing their risk for preventable disease and death.' 'Despite the monumental efforts of the past 50 years, progress has been far from universal. Large numbers of children remain under- and un-vaccinated,' senior study author Jonathan Mosser of University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said in a news release. Advertisement 'Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available, but persistent global inequalities, challenges from the COVID pandemic, and the growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunization progress,' he added. In many countries, these trends have led to outbreaks of diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, such as measles, polio, and diphtheria, the study said. Kate O'Brien, WHO director for immunization, vaccines, and biologicals, said in an emailed statement that 'despite incredible progress' brought about by vaccines, 'we are now confronting a painful reality: Progress has stalled and in some countries is being lost. Immunization rates have plateaued, and year after year, we are reaching the same proportion of children without extending their reach to those left behind.' 'Unless we intensify efforts to reach more children through equitable routine immunization programmes, increase domestic investment, and strengthen vaccine confidence and demand, we risk undoing years of hard-won progress — leading to a future where more children suffer from preventable illnesses and premature death,' she added. An increase in vaccine hesitancy, as well as misinformation — which the WHO signaled as a leading threat to global public health even before the pandemic — have impacted immunization, the study noted. Conflict is another factor. The outbreak of civil war in Sudan in 2023 led to one key coverage measurement — the number of children receiving the first dose of the DTP vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis — falling from almost 90 percent to about half of that, according to the study. Planned budget cuts to vaccines 'are likely to disproportionately affect low-income and middle income countries,' the study said, but richer countries are also likely to be affected by higher costs caused by increasing outbreaks. Advertisement The study's findings echo a warning this spring from the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who noted outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases were increasing around the world, 'putting lives at risk and exposing countries to increased costs in treating diseases and responding to outbreaks.' He urged countries with limited resources to 'invest in the highest-impact interventions — and that includes vaccines.' The study, which was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was published in the Lancet medical journal. Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he may stop government scientists from publishing in the Lancet and several other top peer-reviewed journals, accusing them — without evidence — of being 'corrupt.' Shortly after returning to office in January, President Trump announced the United States' withdrawal from the WHO. Two months later, a USAID document showed that the administration planned funding cuts for Gavi, which provides lifesaving vaccinations for millions of people in the world's poorest countries. Domestically, following the deaths of two children in Texas from measles — with a total of 23 outbreaks recorded across the US with more than 1,000 confirmed cases — Kennedy has given mixed messages on measles immunization and caused controversy by announcing placebo testing for new vaccines. David L. Heymann, professor of infectious-disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and who was not involved in the research, said in a telephone interview Wednesday that public trust is a key part of vaccination success. He urged governments to 'take a great interest in this and to make sure that they're getting the right messages to their people,' and emphasized the importance of evidence-based recommendations from trusted organizations like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and a professor at the University of Oxford, who also was not involved in the research, in a statement called the findings a 'worrying trend' that is 'set to deteriorate' amid global health funding cuts. In a separate email Wednesday, he accused the Trump administration of 'undermining' parents' confidence in vaccines, risking further drops in coverage. 'This combined with a catastrophic reduction of global health funding, rejection of scientific evidence on vaccines and challenges to credible scientific leadership on immunisation policy means that the once trusted voice of America on vaccines is diminished,' he said.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
India's alarming vaccination gap: 1.44 million children still 'zero-dose,' Lancet study reveals
India is at the forefront of a critical global challenge in childhood vaccinations, with a staggering 1.44 million children classified as 'zero-dose' in 2023, according to a new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet, on June 25, 2025. The study also highlights a troubling stagnation in worldwide immunisation efforts, leaving millions of vulnerable children, particularly in India and other South Asian nations, susceptible to deadly, preventable diseases. Despite significant progress in expanding vaccine coverage between 1980 and 2023, the momentum has significantly faltered since 2010, the study found. 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 coverage for at least one vaccine dose against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles, polio, or tuberculosis. More than half of these 15.7 million unvaccinated children reside in just eight countries, with India's 1.44 million zero-dose children placing it as the second-highest globally, behind Nigeria. South Asia as a region account for a substantial 13% of these vulnerable children, emphasising the concentrated nature of this crisis within the subcontinent. Pandemic fall-out The COVID-19 pandemic severely exacerbated existing challenges, leading to sharp declines in global vaccine coverage rates from 2020 onwards. The study estimates that between 2020 and 2023, approximately 15.6 million children worldwide missed their full three doses of the DTP vaccine or a measles vaccine. 'Despite the monumental efforts of the past 50 years, progress has been far from universal. Large numbers of children remain under- and un-vaccinated', said senior study author Jonathan Mosser from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, United States. 'Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available, but persistent global inequalities, challenges from the COVID pandemic, and the growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunisation progress. These trends increase the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, polio, and diphtheria, underscoring the critical need for targeted improvements to ensure that all children can benefit from lifesaving immunisations,' Dr. Mosser added. 2030 goals may remain unmet The authors of the study said that these latest estimates should be taken as a clear warning that global immunisation targets for 2030 will not be met without 'transformational improvements in equity'. The authors strongly advocate for concerted efforts to combat vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, emphasising that 'Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake.' Professor Hai Fang, China Center for Health Development Studies, Peking University, China (not involved with the study) said, 'In light of the potential decline in international aid from high-income countries, there is an even greater need to strengthen routine childhood vaccination coverage at all levels. Sustained investment and targeted strategies will be essential to maintain progress, close immunisation gaps, and ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines.' What does this mean for India For India, this means intensified efforts are required to reverse the trend. The findings serve as a critical alarm bell for public health authorities, highlighting the urgent need for robust, equitable immunisation strategies to safeguard the country's vast child population against preventable diseases. Experts said that for a country as diverse as India, this calls for highly localised and culturally sensitive vaccination programmes. A significant two-thirds (65%) of the zero-dose children who need to be reached by vaccination between 2023 and 2030 are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with the latter accounting for 1.33 million. 'The challenge now is how to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in areas of low coverage. The diversity of challenges and barriers to immunisation vary widely between countries and within communities, with rising numbers of displaced people and growing disparities due to armed conflict, political volatility, economic uncertainty, climate crises, and vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, underscoring the need for new, tailored solutions,' said lead author of the study, Emily Haeuser. The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since World Health Organisation (WHO) established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974. Over the past 50 years, EPI has vaccinated more than 4 billion children, preventing the deaths of an estimated 154 million children worldwide and providing a total of 10.2 billion years of full health. However, vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks persist, reflecting long standing inequalities in vaccine coverage worldwide, and pose a growing global risk.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
India among eight countries with half of world's unvaccinated children as of 2023: Study
NEW DELHI: India was among the eight countries where more than half the unvaccinated children from around the world lived as of 2023, an analysis published in The Lancet journal showed, "emphasising persistent inequities." Providing global estimates of current vaccine coverage, the study found that the same year, there were 15.7 million children -- 1.44 million in India -- who had received no doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine in their first year. An international team of researchers forming the 'Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 Vaccine Coverage Collaborators' updated global, regional, and national estimates of routine childhood vaccine coverage from 1980 to 2023 for 204 countries and territories. In 1980, 53.5 per cent of children who had never received a routine childhood vaccine, or 'zero-dose' children, lived in just five countries -- India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh --, they said. Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available, said senior author Dr Jonathan Mosser from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US, which co-ordinates the GBD study. "Despite the monumental efforts of the past 50 years, progress has been far from universal. Large numbers of children remain under- and un-vaccinated," Dr Mosser said. Persistent global inequalities, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunisation progress. The trends increase the risk of outbreaks that can be prevented through vaccinations, including measles, polio, and diphtheria, the senior author added.
