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Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study
While there has been unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases since the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and a wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges with global coverage rates of the original EPI-recommended vaccines declining sharply beginning in 2020—resulting in an estimated 15.6 million children missing the full three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine or a measles vaccine between 2020 and 2023, as well as 15.9 million children not receiving any polio vaccine, and 9.18 million missing out on the tuberculosis vaccine. The study estimates that disruptions to immunisation services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in around 12.8 million additional unvaccinated zero-dose children globally during the four pandemic years (2020-2023). Wide discrepancies remain, with markedly lower coverage and higher rates of under and unvaccinated children in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53%) and South Asia (13%)—Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, 882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000). 'The challenge now is how to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in areas of low coverage,' said lead author Dr Emily Haeuser in the report. '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,' she added. The success of the past 50 years is partly the result of a doubling of global coverage for the original vaccines against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (first dose 49% to 89%; and all three doses 40% to 81%), measles (37% to 83%), polio (42% to 80%), and tuberculosis (38% to 83%) between 1980 and 2023. Additionally, there has been a 75% drop in the number of unvaccinated zero-dose children worldwide from 58.8 million in 1980 to 14.7 million in 2019, as well as the introduction and scale-up of critical new lifesaving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and a second dose of the measles vaccine. The analysis indicates that accelerated progress will be necessary to achieve the 2030 target of halving the number of zero-dose children compared to 2019 levels, with only 18 of 204 countries and territories estimated to have already met this target as of 2023. Two-thirds (65%) of the zero-dose children that need to be reached by vaccination between 2023 and 2030 live in sub-Saharan Africa (4.28 million) and South Asia (1.33 million). To increase vaccine acceptance and uptake, the authors call for more concerted efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy. As Dr. Haeuser explained, 'Successful vaccination programmes are built on understanding and responding to people's beliefs, concerns, and expectations. Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake.' Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed
India has had the most number of unvaccinated children— 1.4 million— after Nigeria (2.5million), of the 15.7 million unvaccinated children globally in 2023, data published in The Lancet on Tuesday said. The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974 (HT Photo/ Representative photo) According to the paper, at least half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children in the same year were living in just eight countries, with 53% in sub-Saharan Africa and 13% in south Asia. The Democratic Republic of Congo (882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000) were the other countries with high unvaccinated children load globally. In the south Asian region, the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in 2023 after India were Pakistan (419,000), Nepal (11,000), and Bangladesh (6,000). The paper also has new projections through 2030 on global childhood vaccine coverage that shows that the world will fail to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) immunisation goals unless substantial improvements are made in the next five years. 'The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 1974. Despite the progress of the past 50 years, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death…,' read the paper. Also Read: Health Talk | Need for quick vaccine development to save lives While India has been ranked as the country with the second highest number of zero-dose children, the comparison is somewhat flawed. As the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, has been maintaining that India's vaccination coverage among children has been growing steadily but owing to the country's large population, their comparison with most other countries cannot be without error. Last year, officials aware of the matter in the government, responded to vaccination coverage estimates released by WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that showed at 1.6 million India had the second highest zero-dose children in the world after Nigeria with 2.1 million unvaccinated children. The officials said that the estimates were flawed as the country's base population had not been taken into consideration while calculating the numbers and if the population had been considered then the percentage would be much less. Also Read: Health Talk | The crucial role of effective vaccine coverage in tackling antimicrobial resistance It is a valid argument as any numbers coming from India— without considering its baseline population— would seem through the roof. The estimation has to grow more nuanced.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Zero-dose children
Listen to article In the last five decades, vaccinations have granted life to an estimated 154 million children around the world. A study, published in prestigious British medical journal The Lancet, while touting this marvellous feat of modern medicine, is flashing red lights at declining global progress regarding vaccinations in more recent decades. The distressing warning comes merely a few years after the Covid-19 pandemic, which reportedly amplified vaccine coverage inequities and stagnating development. And in this global crisis, Pakistan unfortunately holds the position of having South Asia's second highest number of zero-dose children. These 'zero-dose' children – those who have not received any vaccinations – are left defenceless against the risk of fatal, yet preventable, diseases. About 419,000 children did not receive routine vaccinations in 2023, turning diseases like measles, tuberculosis and polio more dangerous than ever. For decades, Pakistan has failed to eliminate wild-type polio, which only persists in two countries around the world. Now, with its second highest ranking in South Asia of zero-dose children, the healthcare climate for the region's youngest and most vulnerable is rapidly becoming one of the worst in the world. Reaching the WHO's goal of improving vaccine coverage globally through the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), as per The Lancet study, necessitates "accelerated progress". But in a country where the federal budget prioritises security spending and bureaucratic salary raises, and much of the dedicated healthcare budget slips through the cracks of corruption, any progress seems to be a welcome contribution. Moreover, misinformation regarding vaccines is so rampant in Pakistani society that the culture often becomes its own worst enemy. This recent ranking demands all caretakers of our nation's children to jolt themselves awake and face the sordid reality of their inaction – before the toll falls solely on those least to blame.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Millions of children at risk as global vaccination rates decline, new study warns
Source: The Guardian A recent study published in The Lancet reveals a concerning global trend: millions of children are at risk of life-threatening diseases due to declining vaccination rates. The study states that measles vaccinations have declined in nearly 100 countries. Health inequalities, COVID-19 disruptions, and rising misinformation have contributed to this decline. Despite significant progress over the past five decades, the study indicates that many countries are experiencing setbacks in childhood vaccination coverage. According to the reports, over the past 50 years, widespread vaccination efforts have saved an estimated 154 million children's lives globally. Declining vaccination rates worldwide The comprehensive analysis, led by the University of Washington , examined vaccination data from 204 countries between 1980 and 2023. The findings highlight that: Measles vaccination coverage fell in 100 out of 204 countries, including high-income countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Japan. The coverage for critical vaccines - including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, and tuberculosis vaccine - has fallen in 21 of 36 high-income countries. The pandemic brought huge service disruptions to vaccination; it weakened already challenged services and set back progress on vaccination. Factors behind the decline in vaccination rates Several factors have contributed to the reversal of vaccination progress: Disparities in healthcare access have left certain populations underserved, hindering efforts to achieve universal immunization coverage. The spread of misinformation has fueled vaccine hesitancy , leading to reduced vaccination uptake in various communities. The pandemic diverted resources and attention, causing delays and interruptions in routine immunization services . The consequences of declining vaccination charges New data reveals that vaccination rates for key childhood diseases such as measles, polio, and diphtheria have fallen in many countries. Health experts have cautioned that this stagnation has serious consequences, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access to immunizations is irregular. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 25 million children missed routine immunizations in 2022 alone. Calls for action Enhancing the health care infrastructure to create equitable access to vaccines for all children. Implementing public education and awareness campaigns to support those fearful of the vaccine and to gain public trust in immunization programs. Ensuring equitable vaccine access in marginalized communities, including prioritizing the restoration of routine immunization services disrupted during COVID to ensure pandemics or disruptions do not prevent catching up on missed vaccinations. Also read | Teleios: A mysterious sphere floating in the Milky Way
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Vaccinating India: on zero-dose children
On the bright side, vaccine coverage globally, between 1980 and 2023, doubled for six diseases including measles, polio and tuberculosis. Also, at 75% globally, there has been a sharp fall in the number of zero-dose children — those who have not received the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine — during the same time period. The number of zero-dose children is a crucial performance marker and an indicator of vaccination coverage inequities. Despite increased immunisation coverage over the decades, in 2023, at 1.44 million, India, according to The Lancet, still had the second largest number of zero-dose children, and is among the eight countries with over 50% of the nearly 16 million zero-dose children globally. Most of the zero-dose children globally are in countries that are conflict-affected or with limited resources for vaccination programmes — India has neither of the two problems. However, about 23 million babies were born in 2023 in India, the highest in the world; in 2024, China, which has the second highest number of newborns globally, reported just 9.5 million newborns. Though the number of zero-dose children is staggering, when seen in the context of the number of newborns in 2023, the percentage of zero-dose children in India is 6.2%. A study in 2021 found that India had sharply reduced the percentage of zero-dose children, from 33.4% in 1992 to 10.1% in 2016. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of zero-dose children was 1.4 million in 2019 but this swelled to 2.7 million in 2021 and then dropped to 1.1 million in 2022 before increasing to 1.44 million in 2023. As in the 2021 study, a large percentage of zero-dose children are in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. There is also a relatively high proportion of them in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. Over the years, the difference in zero-dose children based on gender, caste, and rural-urban status has reduced substantially. However, prevalence remains high among the poor, mothers with low education, Scheduled Tribes and Muslims. Focus is needed to immunise children in hard-to-reach tribal areas, urban slums where there is a huge migrant population, and in reducing vaccine hesitancy among Muslim households with newborn children. India has much work to do to meet WHO's Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) — halving zero-dose children relative to 2019. With the number of zero-dose children in 2023 (1.44 million) only about nearly reaching the 2019 level of 1.4 million, India needs greater and sustained efforts to halve this number in the next five years.
