Childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023 | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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    Childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023

    Posted 18 Jul 2024

    2 min read

    Key findings 

    • Global:
      • Childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million children either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.
      • Over 50% of unvaccinated children live in the 31 conflict-affected countries.
    • India:
      • In 2023, 1.6 million children missed crucial Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (together called DPT) and measles vaccinations.
      • India lacks human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in national programs despite cervical cancer being second-highest cancer in women (18% of female cancers).
      • India accounted for 2 million zero-dose children.
        • Zero-dose children are those that lack access to or are never reached by routine immunization services.

    Immunisation in India 

    • Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) has been operational in India since 1985.
    • Mission Indradhanush 2014 was launched as a special drive to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children, pregnant women under UIP.   
      • So far 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated.
    • Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0, 2023 is a catch-up vaccination campaign for children up to 5 years of age and pregnant women, who were left out.
      • 12 diseases covered: Diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis-B, pertussis, meningitis and pneumonia, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and measles-rubella (MR).

    Challenges faced in Immunization 

    • Limited resources including trained  manpower, poor infrastructure for storage of vaccines and other logistics (e.g. inactivated polio).
    • Lack of responsibility: It is restricted only to vaccinate those who come for a visit; No active follow-up and limited accountability.
    • Lack of centralized record systems, pressure to achieve vaccination targets, etc.
    • Tags :
    • Immunization
    • Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)
    • Mission Indradhanush 2014
    • Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus
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